Janice McGrath Nichols

Published 8:37 pm Friday, January 17, 2025

A Life of Adventure, Diplomacy, and Grace

Janice McGrath Nichols was born on November 12, 1947, in Buffalo, New York, to Sheridan (Mike) J. McGrath and Ethel (née Krupp). Her early life in Buffalo’s South Park neighborhood laid the foundation for a journey defined by resilience, curiosity, and boundless grace.

The 1950s – A Childhood of Possibilities

Janice’s life was shaped by her father’s work as a U.S. Customs agent. The family residence was in Bramalea, a suburb of Toronto and she attended Streetsville High School. These formative years exposed her to the rich culture and unique perspective of living abroad. One of the benefits of being the daughter of a U.S. customs agent occurred when she was allowed to be present in the same room (under a total silence ban, of course) when John, Paul, George, and Ringo arrived at the border for their first concert in Toronto. This cross-cultural experience foreshadowed her future adaptability and success in navigating the complexities of international settings.

The 1960s – Education, Love, and a New Journey

In 1965, Janice enrolled at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, entrusting her higher education to the Jesuits. She aspired to a career in diplomacy, immersing herself in the study of languages and global affairs. Fate intervened in a fifth-year French class, where a late-arriving senior in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) forgot his textbook. She shared her book with that young man, Loring Nichols, who would become her lifelong partner. Janice and Loring were married on January 27, 1968, at Holy Family Catholic Church in Buffalo. Their wedding, set against the backdrop of heightened Naval activity during the USS Pueblo incident, resulted in the loss of the groom’s sword arch as well as several ushers that were recalled to their posts. Fortunately, Janice’s cousins, Chip, Gary and Phil Hussion filled in admirably. The couple moved with “all convenient speed” without the traditional honeymoon to Quonset Point, Rhode Island. It was there that they welcomed their two children, Joy and Prescott.

The 1970s – Adventures Abroad

The 1970s were marked by Navy assignments that took Janice and her family to Helston, Cornwall, United Kingdom. Janice’s natural abilities in a diplomatic surrounding were immediately manifest and the children followed her example as they adapted to their new home. Lieutenant Nichols spent 15 months of the 2-year assignment AT SEA so the couple also adapted to separation, albeit with one very notable exception. Janice was able to join her husband’s task group, when the Royal Navy offered her a stateroom on the RFA (Royal Fleet Auxiliary) ship Stromness. Janice’s life aboard Stromness allowed her an odyssey that included stops at Gibraltar, Capetown, Mombasa, Kenya, Nairobi, and transit to Cyprus during the three day war, ongoing travel to Khartoum, Sudan, and on to Singapore and three weeks in Hong Kong.

The 1980s and 1990s – Leadership and Diplomacy

As their children graduated – Joy from Cornell University and Prescott from St. Bonaventure University – Janice embraced new roles. While living in Hartford, Connecticut, she was selected for an unexpected diplomatic role in Senegal, filling in for the wife of the U.S. Naval Attaché. Janice’s innate diplomacy shone as she fulfilled critical duties in Dakar. Following Loring’s transition to civilian life with Kaman Aerospace, Janice’s new residence was the World Trade Center on the Corniche in Cairo Egypt, where she became President of the Women’s Association of Cairo (WAC). This influential group united expatriates, diplomats, military families and United Nations peacekeeping personnel. Work with U.S. Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer and Egyptian leaders, cemented Janice’s legacy as a “citizen ambassador” and a champion of cross-cultural understanding.

The 2000s and Beyond – A Legacy of Grace

Even as Janice transitioned into retirement, her passion for travel and exploration never waned. Over the decades, she visited countries across the globe, including Syria, Malaysia, Turkiye, Guatemala, Panama, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile, Antarctica, Uruguay, Brazil, the Caribbean, France, Belgium, Germany, Romania, Estonia, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Russia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Ireland, Northern Island, Scotland, and Wales and more. Her life was a tapestry of experiences, woven together by her intellectual curiosity, grace, and unwavering commitment to fostering connection across cultures. Janice’s life was defined not only by her travels but also by her role as a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, cousin, aunt, and friend. She approached every challenge with courage and common sense, leaving an indelible mark on everyone who knew her.

A Fitting Tribute

Janice is survived by her devoted husband of fifty-seven years, Captain Loring B. Nichols, USN (Ret.); her children, Joy Nichols Zaben and L. Prescott Nichols; her son-in-law, Lee Zaben; her daughter-in-law, Lara Monroe Nichols; her granddaughters, Hali, Brooke, and Kendall; her grandson, Noah, and great-granddaughter, Decker. Beloved cousins, nieces, nephews and members of her extended family and their families will also feel the loss deeply as Janice had a significant impact in all of their lives. Among the family’s archives lies a letter from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, rejecting Janice’s application as a high school senior. The reasoning? As a woman, it was deemed “unlikely she would complete the program.” Yet, through her life’s achievements, Janice surpassed every expectation, building a legacy that would inspire any aspiring diplomat.

Janice’s life of service to her family, her country, and the world will be honored with interment at Arlington National Cemetery, a fitting resting place for someone whose life was a testament to diplomacy, adventure, and love. R.W. Baker & Co. Funeral Home and Crematory, Downtown Suffolk Chapel is serving the family.