Jerome Nichols Sweetland, JrOxnard, CAJerome Nichols Sweetland Jr. passed away at home surrounded by his family on February 3rd, after a brief illness. Nick was a native son of Oxnard, born on September 25, 1940 at St John's Hospital to Jerome Sweetland Sr. and Marion Laubacher Sweetland who provided him with the family legacy of a strong Catholic tradition of faith. He attended Santa Clara Elementary and Santa Clara High School, graduating from Oxnard High School in 1958. He lived almost all of his life in Oxnard, leaving only to earnan Associate Degree in Diesel Technology at Oregon Technical Institute in Klamath Falls and for 2 years of service in the Army, where he was stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington.Family was central to Nick's life. He married his first love Alice Frost and they shared 52 wonderful years together raising three children Jerry, Brian, and Marni. Joining the family was Jerry's wife Brie and their two children Jake and Kate. Nick was a devoted son and the oldest of five children. He is survived by wife Alice, sisters Karen and Meredith and brother Jack, and was preceded in death by brother Mark. He is also survived by numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and brother-in- law Rob Frost.Nick loved anything with wheels, starting his hot rodding career in the golden age of drag racing. He raced at tracks like Santa Maria, San Fernando, Lyons, Irwindale, and Bakersfield. He built race cars and a number of hot rods, just finishing a full restoration of a 1971 Trans Am. He was a founding member of the Pharaohs Car Club in Oxnard. An avid boater, he also enjoyed deep-sea fishing and exploring the Channel Islands and had some wonderful trips with his sons and friends to Baja for an annual fishing adventure.Nick cherished rituals with his friends. Every Thursday night for 60+ years they went to dinner, most often to Dominick's on Oxnard Boulevard. On Saturday mornings they met for breakfast to plan their latest projects and in the afternoon met again for Show and Tell to review their progress. Nick's passion for cars turned into a career in the auto business starting at Jack Barnes Pontiac, moving to Schuss Lincoln Mercury, and culminating with 28 years as Service Manager at Barber Ford in Ventura.A Funeral Mass will be held at 1:30 pm on Saturday, February 18 at Santa Clara Church on E Street. Attendees are encouraged to bring their latest hot rod to send him off correctly. In lieu of flowers the family asks that any donations be made to St John's Healthcare Foundation or the . Arrangements are under the care of JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATION SERVICE, 757 E. Main St., Ventura.