Jerrold ""Jerry"" R. Nixon, 70, of Dania Beach, Fla., formerly of Painesville, passed away on July 2, 2013, at Broward Health Medical Center after a two-month battle with leukemia.
He is survived by his children, Scott Nixon of New Port Richey, Fla., and Kimberly Thompson of Cleveland; his beloved companion, Edward Borden, and Eddy's mother, Anne, of Dania Beach; his brothers and sisters, Bob (Pat) Nixon of Denver and Jon (Phyllis) Nixon of Leroy, JoAnn (Thom) Smith of Painesville Township, Tom (Susan) Jenkins of Denver, Colo., JoAnn Jenkins (Louis) Trevino of Houston, Texas; nieces and nephews, Vance Nixon, Melissa Smith, Matthew Smith, Sarah Jenkins, Alex Jenkins, Tristan Trevino, Kelly (Andy) McKelvy and Chad Rankin; and his aunt, Marjorie Carr of St. Joseph, Mich.
He was preceded in death by his father, Walter R. Nixon, in 1975; and his mother, Josephine K. Nixon Jenkins, this past year.
Jerry was a graduate of Harvey High School where he served as student body president. He attended Ohio State University and graduated second in his class in 1964 from Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science.
He joined his father at Nixon Funeral Home as the third generation funeral director for the business started by his grandfather, Earl S. Nixon, in 1932. He held funeral director and embalming licenses in both the State of Ohio and the State of Florida.
After his father's death in 1975, Jerry became owner of the Nixon Funeral Home. In 1980, he sold the funeral home to Brunner Funeral Home and became the general manager of Inman Shipping Worldwide, a company contracted by funeral homes to transport human remains back home, from the place of death, wherever in the world home was. In 1987, he opened Nixon Funeral Service in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. He remained there until his death.
He was a member of the Painesville Kiwanis Club, serving as its president, a member of the Ohio Funeral Directors Association, Painesville Masonic Temple F & AM and Urania Chapter No. 284 Order of the Eastern Star. He was active in various church activities at the Painesville United Methodist Church and the Church of the Brethren. While in Painesville, he was honored by the Painesville Jaycee's as Young Man of the Year.
A memorial service will be held at a later date in Painesville, with graveside services in Evergreen Cemetery at that time.
The family requests memorial contributions be made in his honor to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, and can be made online at aidshealth.org or to a favorite .