Clifford Edward Nichols June 13, 1936 -Sept 25, 2015 Idaho Falls, Idaho Clifford Edward Nichols, a consultant in the nuclear industry, jack-of-all-trades, outdoorsman, loving husband and very beloved father, died at the age of 79 on Friday, Sept 25th. Cliff was born in Globe, Arizona. He had many unbelievable, and what turned out to be true, stories of a poor but adventurous childhood of dubious go carts, donkey riding and rock throwing fights. He was happy to leave the "god-forbidden" heat of the Arizona desert to move to northern Idaho where his parents hoped to find their fortune in the Silver mines. They didn't find a fortune but found a good life that included elk and moose hunting, fishing trips, playing football and basketball in high school, to eventually rocket building and sort of scary science projects that went awry. Cliff had a voracious curiosity about everything in the world and wanted to head to college to deepen his learning and hopefully get a job. He joined the Army and eventually ended up in Fort Lee, New Jersey just across the George Washington Bridge from the beautiful and sophisticated New Yorker--Gloria Malik, who would become his beautiful wife for the rest of his life. In addition to finding his unique city-slicker wife--Gloria, the Army allowed Cliff to get the GI Bill that afforded him the opportunity to get his Nuclear Health Physics degree at the University of Idaho. In between attending classes, working part time jobs and summer jobs in the silver mine and sawmill, he had a family, beginning with his oldest son Joel, then came Sandy. After getting his degree, he was offered a job in Idaho Falls where he worked at the INEL Nuclear site. He then had three more kids, Tim, Lisa and finally Todd. Cliff and Gloria designed and hand-built their beautiful house where they raised all 5 kids and where Cliff spent the rest of his days. While at INEL, Cliff invented the radiation contamination portal monitor that is still used at the site today. He left INEL in 1982 and became a consultant in the nuclear industry traveling all over the country. He especially loved working in California, the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and New York. He has left his 5 children with amazing memories of camping trips too numerous to list but would start with Green River Lakes, Frank Church Wilderness Area, Island Park, Redfish Lake and Yellowstone as well as rafting and canoe trips down Box Canyon the South Fork and anywhere else he could think of. In the winter, Cliff turned his attention to the beautiful snowy mountains and went skiing as often as time and money would allow him. He talked with unbridled enthusiasm about skiing and later in life lamented the fact that what he missed most was skiing down a mountain. Cliff had a life-long love affair with hot dogs, Coldstone Creamery German Chocolate Cake Ice Cream, huckleberry ice cream or milk shakes, Mama Inez's shrimp and crab monterey and-- even an average Strawberry Margarita would make him unbelievably happy. He loved talking to everyone and anyone, much to his wife's chagrin. But his love of sharing stories and connecting with people was just too great to shut him up once someone looked his way. Cliff will be incredibly missed by his wife, Gloria, his 5 children, Joel, Sandy, Tim, Lisa and Todd; his grandchildren, Tabetha Nichols, Steve Nichols, Jessica Nichols, Savannah Driscoll, Hunter Driscoll, Maja Driscoll, Matthew Nichols and Rebecca Nichols; his daughter-in-law, Kathy Nichols and his son-in-law Morgan Driscoll. He will be missed by an extended family he loved very much but especially his sister Joanne Dorsett, Pinehurst, Idaho and brother Donald Nichols, Lockeford, CA. There will be a small, informal gathering on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at the Tauphaus Park Shelter #3 from 1-3pm. Because of his affection and love of cats, in lieu of flowers, Cliff would be so happy if you'd send a gift to the Snake River Animal Shelter. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.coltrinmortuary.com