Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Thomas Nixon Sr.

Thomas Leroy Nixon Sr., 68, of El Centro, Cali., passed away after a battle with cancer Wednesday, November 22 at Hospice of San Diego.

Thomas was born in Prescott on September 23, 1938.

Thomas entered the U.S. Navy at the young age of 16 and graduated high school while serving in the Navy. He received many good conduct and achievement awards. Thomas married Norma LaJoyce Hill on June 25, 1960 in Long Beach. He came to the Valley in July of 1971, when he was transferred to the Naval Air Facility in El Centro from Naval Air Station, Kodiak, Alaska. Thomas retired from the Navy on September 25, 1974, at 36 years of age, after serving 20 years in the Navy.

HE went to work for the Imperial County Sheriffs Office in March 1975 as a Commissary Officer. HE attended Imperial Valley College and earned an Associate of Science degree in Criminal Justice Administration. Thomas attended the Police Academy in Riverside and became a Deputy Sheriff in 1978. He worked for 5 years as a narcotic officer and was promoted to Sergeant in February 1984. He served as OIC Jail Operations, Bailiff, OIC of South End Patrol and Investigations before retiring in December 192.

While waiting for his wife to retire, Thomas went to work for the U.S. Marshals Service, first as a bus driver, then as Court Security Officer, where he worked until March of this year.

Thomas was a member of Imperial Valleys Faith Assembly of God Church, where he served as an Usher. His hobbies included baseball, shade-tree mechanics, photography, travel and weight lifting. In 1970, Thomas won the Iron Man Award while stationed at Naval Air Station, Kodiak, Alaska. His favorite hobby was playing with the grandchildren.

Visitation was held Friday, December 1, from 6-9 p.m. at Hems Brothers Mortuary in El Centro.

Services were at 9 a.m., Saturday, December 2, at Faith Assembly in Imperial with Revs. Daniel Bruce and William Brewer officiating. Burial was at Evergreen Cemetery in El Centro.

Thomas was preceded in death by his father, Leon; mother, Hazel; infant brother, James; and in 2005, his youngest sister, Arlinda Gulley.

He is survived by his wife, Norma, of 46 years; sons and daughters-in-law, Thomas Jr. and Nina of Ranch Cucamonga, Jared and Gabriela of Imperial and Norman of El Centro; daughters Jennifer of Los Angeles, Marya of El Centro, and daughter of the heart, Gracie Valenzuela of El Centro; three grandchildren, Maliq (Boss Man), Jalen (Miss J) and Jared Jr. (The Dot); sisters and brothers-in-law, Mary A. Railey, Sarah C. and Thomas Johnson of Prescott, Brenda K. and James Sloan and Iris R. Carter, all of San Diego, Lucy Nixon of Vallejo and Wilma O. McNeil of Atlanta, Ga.; brothers and sisters-in-law, Donald and Mae of Prescott; Leon and Coretta of Atlanta, Ga., and John of Prescott; aunts, uncles and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.