Wed. August 17, 2011 Happy Birthday!100 YearsLet’s remember a Florida Writer
Nixon Smiley born August 17, 1911, Orange Park, Florida he lost both parents by the age of 7. His maternal grandparents, Mr. & Mrs. N.J. Strickland, OP residence since 1880’s, reared him.They had built home which became a boarding house. Nixon grew up listening to the tales of the great St. Johns River boat days of the late 1800’s and enjoy the tales and the naturalbeauty of Florida. From one of his books FLORIDA LAND OF IMAGES… … “Among the borders were John Burroughs, the naturalist and Nixon Waterman, newspaperman poet and Chautauqua lecture”… …”my mother admired both men whom she had known since a girl… each man wanted her first child to be named after them… the two men's settled the problem by tossing a coin --- Waterman won”…
Nixon worked as a “copy boy” for the Florida Times Union (Jax) in the 1930’s. U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Smiley took a stand against the “axis of evil” serving in the south pacific during WWII. He then went on to be a writer and editor for the Miami Herald for 30+ years and authored 15 books. He appreciated Florida’s natural beauty and its little known places.He was an avid gardener who volunteered a lot of his time at the Fairchild Botanical Gardens.
Nixon Smiley at 100
Little is known about his wife Evelyn, who was an artist. To my knowledge they have two sons who are still living. He lived long enough to see the Berlin Wall come down. He crossed over July 29, 1990, buried at Magnolia Cemetery, (Kingsley Ave.) Orange Park, FL. Call to Action: Think about somebody you know and love who will or has recently turned 100 years old.Tell their story --- if you like --- share the story with Heritage Guides. Semper Fi
