Randy "Nick" Nichols spent the last few years of his life with me, Andrea, on my parents property where we have a small farm. There are 5 generations of my family, which he quickly became an important part of, on what he and I jokingly and then lovingly referred to as "The Compound". 
 We were mostly homebodies but enjoyed going to garage sales from time to time, maybe drives or dinner, but most evenings you would find us here at the house "piddling" ,as he loved to call it. Most evenings ended with me folding laundry on the bed and he playing "Dj" and between the two of us, we enjoyed a very wide range of music genre's and one never knew what they could hear from day to day if they were to approach the door. 
 While I worked next door on the farm, Nick enjoyed his retirement. He would read news, email his friends, and show lots of attention to our 3 dogs he called "the Babies" and spoiled to no end. We both constantly planned some kind of home renovation project we would do and although most of it never got done, we loved talking about it. 
 He had a short but wonderful relationship with my new Grandson, Asher, and would call his name from the bedroom when he would hear us with him in the living room every morning. I would bring him in and he would always say "Good morning Asher, when do we get some breakfast!" Asher knew Nick's voice from the womb and would stare intently at him. One morning, just days before Nick had to leave us, Asher smiled one of his first real smiles at him. Nick laughed and smiled as big as I had ever seen and kissed Asher on the head. We will remind Asher of "Grandpa Nick" and how much he loved him. He was as much Asher's Grandpa as any biological one could be.
Nick passed quickly. He was such a strong man that he never even knew his gallbladder had become infected and became sick and died within hours. I was with him up until the final moments of his life. I rubbed his arm and told him I loved him and was going to the bathroom. He waited just long enough to know I was down the hall, and his heart stopped. He spared me the sight of the CPR.
 And so his very last act was selfless and done out of love. May he RIP. I will never be the same for having known him. He brought so many wonderful moments, taught me so many invaluable lessons, gave me so many laughs.
 He loved cool spring and fall days. If you are out and about, with the windows down, music up loud and you think, maybe, just maybe, you heard a big hearty laugh, I am sure that would be my Nick.