Mrs. Velma Ann Nichols 100, of Dalton, Georgia, departed this life Wednesday July 17, 2013 at Ridgewood Manor Health Care Center. Mrs. Nichols was born February 3, 1913 in the Fairview Community, near Calhoun, Georgia, a daughter of the late Vernon and Mary Octavia Turner Patterson. She was preceded in death by her husband, Reverend James "Jimmy" Nichols, her daughter and son-in-law, Wanona and Reverend Ned McClure, daughter-in-law, Annie Ruth Nichols, a great-grandson, Robbie Clark and brothers and sisters-in-law, Claude and Nettie Lee Patterson, Olvin and Pearl Patterson, sisters and brothers-in-law, Minnie and Howard Tate and Opheia and Bill Holsomeback. She worked many years at the American Thread Company, Crown Cotton Mill and worked in the chenille industry. She was a member of the East Brook Baptist Church.

She is survived by her sons, Morris Nichols of Dalton, GA, Kenneth and Pat Nichols of Murphy, NC; grandchildren, Michael Nichols, Jimmy and Lisa McClure, Deborah Parker, Ken Nichols, Jennifer Nichols, Jason Nichols, Darlene Bagley and Hilda McClure; great-grandchildren, Tiffany Beth McClure and Carolyn Parker; several cousins.

Services to celebrate the life of Mrs. Velma Ann Nichols will be held Saturday, July 20, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. at Ponders Melrose Chapel with Reverend Tim Brown officiating. She will be laid to rest at Whitfield Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends at Ponders Melrose Chapel from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. Friday and after 12:00 noon Saturday until the service hour.

Arrangements by, Ponders Melrose Chapel, 138 Melrose Drive, Dalton, GA 30721, 706-226-4002. www.selectedindependentfuneralhomes.org and www.ogr.org