Reed "Monk" NicholsonReed "Monk" Nicholson, 80, of Turtletown, Tennessee went to be with the Lord on September 5, 2012, after a brief battle with cancer. He was born on July 20, 1932 in Turtletown to the late Ray and Lana Payne Nicholson. In 1951 he married the former Betty Powell with whom he recently celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary. Since 1974, Monk and Betty have owned and operated Nicholson's General Merchandise in Turtletown, a store opened by his father in 1944.Monk attended Ducktown high school and then enlisted in the U.S. Army, attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant and serving in combat in Korea and later in the Army of Occupation in Japan under General Douglas MacArthur. He completed his army service at Camp Polk, later Ft. Polk, Louisiana. After being honorably discharged, he and Betty returned to Turtletown, where they had three children and Monk worked at the now-closed copper mine. The family moved in 1960 to Ecorse, Michigan, a Detroit suburb, where Monk worked in the steel mills and as a carpenter, and returned to Turtletown in 1974. Monk was a keeper of the community history. He knew everyone in Turtletown, who their parents and grandparents were, where their ancestors had bought land. When he was younger, he loved talking to the "old-timers" and hearing their stories. As he grew older, he passed those stories on to his children and anyone who asked. Through the years, Nicholson's store remained a community institution where customers would gather and talk about the goings-on in Turtletown.Monk is survived by his wife, Betty, and three children, Karla Nicholson of Frankfort, Kentucky, Rick Nicholson and his wife Betty Ann of Turtletown, and Joyce Nicholson Kidd and her husband Gary, of Stafford, Virginia. He is also survived by three grandchildren: Alicia Nicholson Dilbeck (Daven) of McCaysville, Jared Kidd (Kate) of Scottsville, Virginia, and Kristy Nicholson Shields (Brandon) of Knoxville; a great-granddaughter, Halle Dilbeck; and two sisters: JoAnn Harper of Copperhill and Barbara Pittman of Turtletown. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers: Ray Nicholson Jr. and Willard "Bud" Nicholson.The family received friends on Friday, September 7, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Akins Funeral Home in Copperhill. The funeral was held at Zion Hill Church in Turtletown at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 8. Military honors by the North Georgia Honor Guard and interment followed in the church cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Zion Hill Cemetery Fund, c/o Keith Kilpatrick, 1210 Kimsey Dairy Road, Turtletown, TN 37391Turtletown. Akins Funeral Home of Copperhill in charge of the arrangements. .