Jun 6, 1932 — May 16, 2026
The services celebrating and honoring the life of Nicholas H. “Bud” Nicholas III, 93, of Enid, will be held 2:00 P.M. Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in the Westminster Church with Pastor Mitch Lyon officiating. Burial will be held privately in the Memorial Park Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Brown-Cummings, A life celebration home.
N.H. “Bud” Nicholas III was born at home in Enid, Oklahoma, on June 6, 1932, to Nicholas H. Nicholas II and Genevieve Hathoot Nicholas. He was the fourth of six children and lived his life in Enid, Oklahoma, except for being away at school. He attended McKinley grade school, Emerson Junior High and in the 9th grade he went to Pembroke Hill school in Kansas City, Missouri, where he credited his love of lifetime reading to a special teacher there. He came back to graduate from Enid High School in 1950. He went on to graduate in business from Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma State University. He attended O.U. Law school but knew Development and Real Estate was what he wanted as a lifetime career.
He received his Real Estate license as a broker in 1955 and began business as Nick H. Nicholas Agency in 1955. He developed many acres of Enid. At age 36 he had bought land and developed Sunset Plaza Shopping Center, opening in 1968. He went on to develop with his lifetime business partner and brother, Jim, several other additions, Seven Pines, La Mesa West, Thousand Oaks, La Mesa West Shopping Center, Seven Pines Apartments, three separate additions to North Imo Road, the East and West sides around Pheasant Run Golf Course, Enid Energy Center, Trails West, and other areas of Enid.
Nicholas Real Estate for several years has been the longest continually established Real Estate Company in Oklahoma. His passion in business was selling commercial buildings and land! He enjoyed long car rides for a good time to talk about business.
He had a love of fishing and quail hunting and loved his many dogs through the years. A special hobby was his woodworking; he made many beautiful pieces of furniture. He was a perfectionist and never used a written plan. He used reclaimed wood and mostly used dovetails rather than nails or screws.
He grew up as a member of The First Presbyterian Church and later became a charter member of Westminster Presbyterian Church. He loved his Lord, his church, and his church family.
He married Jo Ann Templeman at the First Methodist Church, Enid, on June 15, 1958; the couple celebrated sixty-seven years of a wonderful marriage in 2025. He loved his role of Husband, Dad, and Granddad and the love of his great-grandchildren.
He is survived by the love of his life Jo Ann Nicholas, of the home; his three boys, whom he was so proud of, Nicholas H. “Buddy” IV and wife Jan, of Enid, Jay Charles and wife Carolyn, of Enid, and Barry Matthew, of Scottsdale, Arizona; his six beloved grandchildren, Natalie Nicholas-Bowers and husband Jay, Nicholas H. “Nick” Nicholas V and wife Jordan, Elizabeth Cummins and husband Daniel, Stephen Nicholas and wife Tess, all of Enid, Brent Nicholas and wife Arden, of Tulsa, and John Nicholas and wife Kyler, of Odessa, Texas; nine great-grandchildren, all of Enid, David, Ryan, Ebby, Bonnie, Jack, Addie, “Cole” Nicholas H. Nicholas VI, Walker, and Scottie; his two sisters-in-law, Ila Nicholas and Kay Nicholas; many loved nieces and nephews; and so many dear friends through the years.
Leaving before him were his parents, Nick and Genevieve; brothers and sisters, Vivienne, Marquerite, Rosalie, Jim, and David; and his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Fred and Roberta Templeman.
Many thanks to the dedicated caregivers, for over two years, Larry Smith, Mary Johnson, and the Ancheta family.
Memorials may be given in his honor to the Westminster Church, OMRF, or Hospice Circle of Love, which gave him such loving care, with Brown-Cummings serving as custodian of the funds.
