Robert Keith Nichols, of White Plains, Md., was born on September 8, 1954 to Vivian Ruth (Doyle) Wise and Norman Miller Nichols in Plainfield, New Jersey. He was married to Ava Nichols, nee Smith, on July 31, 1982 in Riegelwood, North Carolina where from this union three children were born: Robert II, Akilah and Mashona. Robert, affectionately known as Bobby, attended the Plainfield Public School System and graduated from Plainfield High School in 1973. After high school, Bobby pursued higher education where he attended Wentworth Military Academy and earned an Associate Degree in Pre-Medicine in 1975. He continued his education and graduated from The Citadel in 1977 with a B.A. in Psychology. Bobby is among one of the first 100 Black cadet graduates at The Citadel. In Spring 1977, he became a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., Eta Iota Chapter. After graduating from The Citadel, Bobby was commissioned in the US Marine Corps as 2nd Lt. where he served as a Combat Close Air Support Control Officer and Army Field Artillery Officer. In 1989, he transferred as a Captain from the US Marine Corps into the US Air Force where he served as a Finance Officer and an Inspector General. After 30 years of military service, Bobby retired as a Lt. Colonel. In 1993, Bobby further expanded his education and received a M.B.A. from Troy State University. In the same year, he established the Nichols Defense Academy (NDA) in Fairfax County, Virginia. Over 200 youth went through the NDA’s afterschool care and summer camp programs. Bobby was a Master in Martial Arts; he was a 5th Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Judo and a 1st degree Black Belt in Hai Dong Gum Do. In 2019, after answering his call to ministry, Bobby attended Howard University and earned his Master’s in Divinity. He continued his studies at Howard University and received a Doctorate in Divinity in May 2023. In 2024, Bobby re-entered the federal workforce and was employed as a Human Resources Specialist for the U.S. Capitol Police. Before working with the U.S. Capitol Police, he founded Nichols Wise Associates, an HR firm providing consulting and adjudication services as well as the non-profit organization, Wisemenship Inc., a man camp that nurtures the development of young Black men into manhood and ministry. Bobby is proceeded in transition by his parents, Vivian Ruth (Doyle) Wise and Norman Miller Nichols; his step-father, Ralph H. Wise Sr.; his brother, Ralph H. Wise Jr. and his grandson, Micaiah Asher Nichols. Bobby is survived by his children, Robert (Macade) Nichols II of Suwanee, Georgia; Akilah Nichols of Alexandria, Virginia; and Mashona Nichols of Washington D.C; his grandchildren, Reece Nichols, Nahla Nichols, Daxton Nichols, Kendi Nichols and JaMeyce Hardiman; his brothers, Norman Nichols II, Ronald Wise Sr. and Marvin Wise; his nieces and nephews, Autumn Nichols, Simone Nichols, Norman Nichols III, Ronald (Sophia) Wise Jr., Johnathan (Jasmine) Wise and Isaiah Nichols; his former spouse, Ava Nichols; his aunts, Joyce (Doyle) Baskerville and Audrey (Sylvester) Doyle-Blount; and a grand host of relatives and friends.