Roland Nicholas, 71, of Dunlap, passed away Saturday, April 8, 2023 after a battle with dementia. He was a member of Dunlap Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Roland was born in Dominica in 1951. He was one of 11 children born to Randolph and Augustina Nicholas. He grew up in Roseau, Dominica. During his young years, he served as an altar boy in the Catholic faith. When he met his wife, Phedeline, in 1975, and she would introduce him to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, where he began zealous bible studies. He was baptized in 1977 and would bring many others to the Lord. In 1979, he and Phedeline would marry and go on to have three children. They migrated to the U.S. in 1981, where they lived in the Bronx in New York City, and he worked as a construction foreman until he retired in 2005. Upon his retirement, the family would move to Georgia, where even though he was retired, he would spend a lot of time doing home renovations and car restoration. Roland and Phedeline moved to Dunlap in 2022 after her retirement. He loved being outside at his mountain home, where he could focus on nature and slow down his pace of life after his dementia diagnosis in 2021.
To honor Roland's love of wood working, his family chose the Barn Wood casket that is hand made with reclaimed barn wood and roofing tin which they felt would signify exactly what he would have built for himself if given the chance.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Randolph and Augustina Nicholas; brothers, Michael Bernard and John Nicholas; and sister, Nathalie Decheausay.
Roland is survived by his loving wife, Phedeline; children, Larry (Taisha) Nicholas, Hananiah Nicholas and Leslie Nicholas - Piere; siblings, Annette, Cecilia, Augustus, Fredericka, Julien, Felix and Jennifer Nicholas; grandchildren, Dequarius Nicholas, Larry Elliott Nicholas, Isaiah Nicholas, Cree Nicholas, Jada Piere and Paris Bowles; great-grandchild, Angel Melody; along with several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held on Sunday, April 16 at 2 p.m. in the chapel of Ewton Funeral Home & Cremation Center, with Pastor Dan Hall officiating. Burial will follow in Condra Cemetery. Family will receive friends Sunday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Ewton Funeral Home & Cremation Center in charge of arrangements.