Timothy Charles Nixon

Tim was born in Battle Creek on May 28, 1963 to Ralph Charles Nixon and Marjorie Christine Wilder. He graduated from Athens High School in 1981, received an Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice from Kalamazoo Valley Community College in 1984, and received a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice from Western Michigan University in 1986.

Tim served as a patrolman for the Battle Creek Police Department from 1985-1986 before becoming a Michigan State Trooper at the St. Joseph post where he served through 1991. Tim then became a Conservation Officer for the Department of Natural Resources, stationed in Barry County, from 1991-1997 when he was promoted to sergeant, then lieutenant in the training section, and in 2001 became a staff captain, then southern zone captain, and finally Emergency Management Director for the DNR, from which he retired in 2011. Tim then began teaching Law Enforcement at the Capital Area Career Center in Mason and found great satisfaction in grooming the next potential generation of law enforcement officers. He cared deeply about each of his students and hoped to instill them with valuable life lessons and not just knowledge and skills.

Tim was an avid hunter and enjoyed the outdoors, whether camping with his family or working in his garden. He was a charismatic individual, full of energy, and enjoyed spending time with friends and family, working on home improvement projects, sports, classic cars, and hobby farming.

Tim was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Marjorie Nixon.

He is survived by his wife, Jamie Nixon of Hastings; son, Zachary (Lindsay) Nixon of Battle Creek; daughters, Kathryn (Tyler) Cole of Rhode Island and Grace Nixon of Hastings; grandsons Colton and Owen Cole. Also left to mourn his loss are his brother, Ralph Christopher (Dawn) Nixon of Missouri; and sister, Bethany Lepper of Battle Creek, as well as nieces Taylor Nixon and Blaire Nixon, and nephews Jerrod Lepper and Peyton Lepper, and many aunts and uncles.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, January 9, 2014 at the Girrbach Funeral Home in Hastings from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm until 6:00 pm. A Funeral service will be held on Friday, January 10, 2014 at 11 a.m. at Hope United Methodist Church in Hastings. A luncheon will follow the service. Interment will take place at Dowling Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be contributed to the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund www.nleomf.org, Pheasants Forever (Barry County) www.pheasantsforever.org , or the college tuition fund for Tim's six-year-old daughter, Grace, sent to Macatawa Bank, 116 Ottawa Ave. Grand Rapids, MI 49501, reference Cathy Click.