John Wesley “Ray” Nicholes, 85, husband of Emily Anne Coonce Nicholes, died Wednesday, January 31, 2018, at Carolinas Hospital System in Florence.

Born August 28, 1932, in Sumter County, he was a son of the late Tully W. Nicholes and the late Edell Barkley Nicholes. He was a member of Calvary Church of the Nazarene. He retired from law enforcement in Sumter after 40 years of service under four Cheifs and four Sheriffs.

Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Bunnie Nicholes Jackson Hewitt (Craig) of Manning; a son, Tommy Nicholes (Linda) of Columbia; two step-daughters, Sylvia Cromer (Mike) of Woodruff and Marie Hernandez (Joe) of Abilene, Texas; a step-son, William H. “Bubba” Hartley, Jr. (Margaret) of Pinewood; eleven grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Calvary Church of the Nazarene with the Rev. Arthur Sharpe and the Rev. Raymond Tobias officiating.

The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday at Calvary Church of the Nazarene and other times at the home.

Memorials may be made to Calvary Church of the Nazarene or to the Bethel Baptist Church Building Fund.

Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.

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