Obituary of Thomas K. Nickou

Thomas Nickou, retired Liberty Central School Science Teacher, Summer School Principal and Associate Professor at Sullivan County Community College, died Saturday, August 31, 2019 at Catskill Regional Medical Center. He was 93 years old. The son of the late Kyriakos and Olga Pappacosta Nickou, he was born on June 19, 1926 in Astoria, NY. He was married on January 6, 1951 to Bernadine Ryan in St. James Church in Cazenovia, NY. He served in the U.S.Navy aboard the USS Oklahoma City in the Pacific War Zone during 1944-1946. He graduated from Cornell University in 1950, did his graduate work at Syracuse University and continued his education at SUNY New Paltz, New York University, Bridgewater State College, and SUNY Oswego. Thomas was a member of the Summer School Principals Association, past president of the Liberty Faculty Associate, past Director of the southeastern zone of the Science Teachers Assn. of NY., past member of board of directors of the Science Supervisors Assn., member of the National Science Teachers Assn., National Education Assn., NYS United Teachers, and American Federation of Teachers. As an educator he helped develop a First Aid Club and Junior Ambulance Corps, drug education and alcohol education programs, helped compile (with a committee of community members) a K-12 sex education program. He developed a K-12 CPR program. This led the way to the requirement that all graduates be proficient in CPR. Liberty was the first school in the state to institute such a requirement. He introduced Science Fairs (as an adjunct to the Science Research method) to the area and continued to conduct them through most of the years before retirement. He also was part of a team for writing the Regents exams in Biology, and the Regents competence tests in Science and Health. He received the Outstanding Biology Teach Award (SE area) in 1985. He was one of three finalists for the outstanding Biology teacher in the state. Thomas was honored with the induction into the Liberty High School Wall of Fame in 2012. Thomas was a charter member of the Town of Liberty Volunteer Ambulance Corps for 15 years, serving on the Board of Directors and as Education Officer. He developed a training manual (nine hour course) used to orient new members. He was an Emergency Medical Technician and assisted in teaching EMT courses. He was director of the Public School committee of the Heart Assn. for teaching CPR. Tom was also a Standard and Advanced First Aid Instructor and Instructor Trainer for the Red Cross and received the RC Achievement Award. And he served as an instructor and instructor trainer in CPR for the Heart Association and received the Heart Association Service Award in 1978. Thomas is survived by his two sons Kerry Nickou and his wife Deborah and Timothy Nickou, two daughters Eileen Fashoro and her husband Craig Fashoro and Athena Parker and her husband Dr. Michael Parker, seven grandchildren, Thomas Nickou and wife, Melanie, Donald Nickou and his wife Katie, Carmen Knight and her husband, Andy Olmsted, Brittany Fashoro, Ashley Fashoro, Michael Parker and Frank Parker, and three great-grandchildren, Helena Elizabeth Olmsted, Natalie Ann Nickou and Vincent Augustus Nickou, brother-in-law, Jim Gill, numerous nieces and nephews and their families. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Bernadine and by his two brothers, Dr. Nickolas Nickou and Constantine Nickou and wife, Anita Nickou, brother-in-law Michael and his wife Jackie, sisters-in-law, Doris Nickou, Jean Arnold and her husband Ray, Eileen Ryan, Pat Dunne and her husband Paul, Loretta Snyder and her husband Fritz, Ruth-Anne Koennecke and her husband Al and Sheila Gill. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife Bernadine and by two brothers, Dr. Nickolas Nickou and Constantine Nickou. Visitation will be held Wednesday September 4, 2019 from 7PM until 9PM at Colonial-Ramsay Funeral Home, 275 S. Main Street, Liberty, NY 12754. Funeral Services will be held on Thursday September 5th at 11AM at the funeral home. Burial will take place on Friday, September 6th at St. James Cemetery in Casanova, NY. Arrangements under the care of Colonial-Ramsay Funeral Home, for further information call 845-292-7160 or visit www.colonialramsaysfuneralhome.com