Rose Nichols
GLEN ALLAN — Graveside services for Rose Irene (Rosene) Robertson Nichols, 95, of Glen Allan, were at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 5, at Greenfield Cemetery, Glen Allan, following private family services at Boone Funeral Home, Greenville. Rev. Tony McDonald officiated the services. She passed away Friday, April 3, 2020, at Legacy Manor in Greenville after a lengthy illness. Arrangements were under the direction of Boone Funeral Home, Greenville.
Rosene was born on Everhope Plantation at Lake Washington on Aug. 2, 1924, to Edgar Royal and Mary Alice Harvey Robertson. In January 1937, her family moved to Esperanza Plantation in Issaquena County. She attended Chatham and Glen Allan schools, graduating from Glen Allan High School. She attended Mississippi State College for Women, but due to World War II, she left school to work for the Illinois Central Railroad in Jackson. While working for the railroad, she attended Jackson Business School at night.
On Dec. 3, 1946, she married Clyde Lavel Nichols, and they made their home in Rolling Fork, eventually returning to Esperanza Plantation at Glen Allan to farm the home place. ‘Miss Rosene’ was well-known throughout the community as a fair and hardworking farm wife and mother who did what was needed to help with the farming and family operation. Throughout those years, she also held full time jobs outside the home, including at Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge and the Glen Allan Post Office.
Along with dear friend, Cornelia Touchberry, a campaign was initiated to restore and preserve the St. John ruins at Greenfield Cemetery in Glen Allan in the late 70s and early 80s. They became quite the local celebrities appearing on newscasts as well as a PBS special on the restoration project. She continued sharing her love of the cemetery by serving on the Greenfield Cemetery Association Board for several years. She was very active in her community in many other ways and was well-respected for her time and input. Miss Rosene was a resident of Magnolia Gardens in Greenville for the past eight years.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Clyde, in 1981; brothers, Harvey Robertson and William Robertson; and sister, Louise Robertson Hammons.
She is survived by sons, Clyde Nichols Jr., Roy (BJ) Nichols and Neill (Lesa) Nichols, all of Glen Allan; and daughter-in-law, Linda Nichols, of Madison. Those dearest to her heart call her HoHo; they are grandchildren, Chaney (Leah) Nichols, of Memphis, Tennessee, Leah (Bryan) Ledford, Madison, Mandy (John Davis) Warbington, of Rolling Fork, Jason (Sarah) Nichols, of Glen Allan, Lindsay (Todd) Querin, of Flora, Rosanne (Chase) Mahalitc, of Rolling Fork, and John Robert (Rachael) Nichols, of Glen Allan. She also leaves 15 great-grandchildren, Addie, Lennon, Lila, Lucy, Ava, Emmy, Brennan, Landen, Camdon, Sophie, Bennett, Townes, Charley Rose, Reed and Will, to cherish her memory. She also leaves special nieces, Tollie Stanford, Jan (Gene) Cline, and Ramona Flowers.
The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to Dr. Gillespie, the staff at Magnolia Gardens, the staff and nurses at Legacy Manor, Laurie Jones, Evelyn Johnson, Ann Clark, Lupe Jackson and Grace Hospice Care, particularly nurse Tammy Clolinger, for their loving care in making HoHo’s final months more comfortable.
Serving as pallbearers will be Chaney Nichols, Jason Nichols, John Robert Nichols, John Davis Warbington, Chase Mahalitc, and Brennan Warbington. Honorary pallbearers will be Bryan Ledford, Todd Querin, and Landen Warbington.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital or Glen Allan United Methodist Church.
