Dick Nichols

Richard Dale Nichols (April 29, 1926 – March 7, 2019) was an American banker and politician who served one-term as the U.S. Representative from the 5th Congressional District of Kansas .

Dick Nichols
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas's 5th district
In office January 3, 1991 – January 3, 1993
Preceded by	Bob Whittaker
Succeeded by	District eliminated in reapportionment following the 1990 Census
Personal details
Born	Richard Dale Nichols[1] (1926-04-29)April 29, 1926 Fort Scott, Kansas, U.S.
Died	March 7, 2019(2019-03-07) (aged 92) McPherson, Kansas, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Connie Weinbrenner ​ ( m. 1951; died 1994) Linda Nichols ​ ( m. 1996; his death 2019) [2]
Alma mater	Kansas State University
Profession	Banker

Life and career

Born in Fort Scott, Kansas, Nichols attended the public schools. He earned his B.S. from Kansas State University in 1951, after serving as an ensign in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1947.

Nichols was informational counsel to the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, served as associate farm director of radio and television stations in Topeka, Kansas, and was agricultural representative of a bank in Hutchinson, Kansas. From 1969 until he resigned in 1990 after being elected to Congress, Nichols served as president and chairman of the board of Home State Bank in McPherson, Kansas.[3]

He served as a member of the Kansas State Republican Executive Committee, was a delegate to the 1988 Republican National Convention, and was the Republican Party chair for the Fifth Congressional District from 1986 to 1990.

In July 1986, Nichols and his wife were stabbed by an insane man aboard the Staten Island Ferry while a touring New York City. He fully recovered from his wounds and was visited by Mayor Ed Koch in the hospital.[4][5][2]

Nichols was elected as a Republican to the One Hundred Second Congress (January 3, 1991 – January 3, 1993), representing Kansas's 5th congressional district. He narrowly beat future FDIC Chairwoman Sheila Bair in a 6-way Republican primary.[6] In the reapportionment following the 1990 Census, the size of Kansas' congressional delegation was reduced from 5 to 4, eliminating the 5th district. In 1992, Rep. Nichols ran for the Republican nomination to challenge Dan Glickman in the 4th congressional district, but lost in the primary to state Senator Eric R. Yost, who lost to Glickman in the general election.[7]

Personal life

Nichols married Connie Weinbrenner in 1951, and together would have three children. Connie earned four degrees and was a professor at McPherson College before her death from cancer in 1994. Two years later, Nichols married his second wife, Linda.[2]

Dick Nichols died at his home in McPherson, Kansas on March 7, 2019 at the age of 92.[8][2]

References

2. Finger, Stan (March 9, 2019). "Dick Nichols, Kansas' last Fifth District congressman, 'put service to others above self'". Wichita Eagle. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
3. https://rotarydistrict5670.org/stories/sen--moran-pays-tribute-to-congressman-dick-nichols
4. McFadden, Robert D. (July 8, 1986). "MAN WITH SWORD KILLS 2 AND WOUNDS 9 ON S.I. FERRY". New York Times.
5. "Nichols first speaker in series". McPherson Sentinel. October 24, 2011.
6. "KS District 5 - R Primary - August 7, 1990". Our Campaigns. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
7. "KS District 4 - R Primary - August 4, 1992". Our Campaigns. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
8. "Richard D. Nichols". Salina Journal. Retrieved 9 March 2019.

• United States Congress. "Dick Nichols (id: N000094)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Appearances on C-SPAN

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website http://bioguide.congress.gov.