James "Blackie" Nixon

James Nixon, 72, of Eufaula, OK passed away Thursday, January 28, 2016. He was born on April 30, 1943 in Stidham, OK - the son of Norman Nixon and Nadine Haley. Throughout his life, he was known by many different titles and nicknames- Blackie (most commonly), Jim, son, friend, husband and Sergeant- but the titles he cherished most were dad and papa. Blackie graduated from Stidham High School in 1961. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the army where he served three years stationed in Hawaii. While there, he was set up on a blind date and later married Patricia Raydon. They were married 24 years and had three children- Brit, Jon and Dana. After the army, Blackie and Pat moved back to Norman, OK where he attended the University of Oklahoma. He graduated top of his class with a Masters Degree in Business Administration. He put that degree to use shortly after when he became administrator of Friendly Manor Nursing Home in Eufaula, OK. He ran his business with love and compassion- treating every patient and staff member like his own family. He left Friendly Manor a better place after 24 years. More than anything, Blackie loved his family and friends- which excluded no one as he treated perfect strangers like he had known them a lifetime. He made daily visits to local restaurants- The Spur and Seasonal Snack being his favorites- to drink coffee and socialize. He was the first to offer help to a friend, acquaintance or even stranger. In return, he was loved by anyone who ever had the pleasure of meeting him. Aside from chatting at the local coffee shop, his hobbies included collecting antiques, home renovations and being outside. You would never catch him sitting around the house with nothing to do. His greatest attribute was his ability to see the good in every person who crossed his path. If you were ever blessed enough to have him visit you at your house, you know he expected you to turn off your tv and have a conversation. Of all the jobs he had, he was best at being a papa. He was so proud of his grandchildren: Ashley, Amber, Britny, Blake and Logan. Then, in 2010, his great granddaughter, Blakely, was born. She stole his heart and they formed a bond that was shared with no one else- true partners in crime. Blackie was so loved by his family, friends and anyone who met him. His famous line was "I'm not a quitter" and he lived by that until his last breath. He would not want us to mourn his loss, but instead, celebrate his life. He is preceded in death by: his dad, Norman Nixon; his mom, Nadine Haley; his stepfather, Roy Haley; his sisters Diane Leeper and Sharon Keeran; his eldest son, Brit Nixon; and his great granddaughter, Jillian Mortensen. His survivors include: his daughter, Dana Pittman, and her husband, Chester of Eufaula, OK; his son, Jon Nixon, of Eufaula, OK; his grandchildren- Ashley Noe, Amber Mortensen, Britny Pittman, Blake Pittman and Logan Nixon; his great grandchildren- Gabriel Mortensen and Blakely Pittman; his sisters- Sonya Davis of Eufaula, OK and Norma Reed of Stidham, OK; his brothers- Bill Nixon of Stidham, Steve Nixon of Ballinger, TX, Marshall Nixon of Checotah, OK and Tracy Haley of Stidham.