William Joseph Nichols
1953-2022
William Joseph “Joe” Nichols, age 69, of Martinsburg, W.Va., formerly of Berkeley Springs, W.Va., died on Thursday, February 17, 2022 at his home.
Born May 19, 1953 at Charleston Memorial Hospital in Charleston, W.Va., he was the son of the late Dr. Samuel Irving and Jeanne Marie Hill Nichols.
Joe was a graduate of Berkeley Springs High School and attended WVU.
In his youth, Joe was a Boy Scout and was a member of the Order of the Arrow Scouting’s national honor society in Morgan County.
In his early years, Joe worked at Winchester Medical Center in respiratory therapy. He was a C.N.A. graduate from James Rumsey Technical Institute.
It was well known that Joe had a very high IQ. Due to unfortunate circumstances associated with addiction, Joe lived most of his life homeless. However, he used his artistic ability to build motorcycles and other designs made from copper wire and sold them for cash money and gave many away.
Joe also was a musician who enjoyed singing and playing music. In 2002 he recorded his first CD titled “Jongleur” and in 2005 another CD called SNAKE EYES under the Organ Grinder with a Monkey Label.
In 2015 he moved to Martinsburg and lived in permanent housing that is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Joe is survived by one sister, Vicki Nichols of The Villages, Fla., and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers, Samuel Irving Nichols, Jr., John R. Nichols and Richard Roger Nichols.
There will be a celebration of Joe’s life from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, March 11, 2022 at Helsley-Johnson Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 95 Union Street, Berkeley Springs, W.Va.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Morgan County Homeless Coalition, P.O. Box 304, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.helsleyjohnsonfh.com.
