Alan Scott Nickells

Alan “Al” Scott Nickells, 64, passed away at his home on June 29, 2026 from a two and a half year cancer battle. He was a devoted husband, father, son, brother, and friend.

Alan “Al” Scott Nickells was born on June 8, 1962, in Orange, Texas, to Walter Scott and Anna Wava (Kennedy) Nickells. At age 10, his family relocated to Tallmadge, Ohio, where he graduated from Tallmadge High School in 1980.  He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Akron in 1984 which included a co-op job at the CIA in Virginia. Soon after he would settle in Maryland, beginning a career at the National Security Agency that would span over 40 years, retiring in January 2024.

Al met the love of his life, Gail Stegmiller, through a mutual friend in 1985 when Al needed a female for his co-ed bowling team. Gail agreed, even though she did not bowl, but she heard he was cute. After six years of dating, Al proposed on a trip to Bube’s Brewery in Pennsylvania by hiding the engagement ring in a box of Reese’s cups. Gail said yes, of course, and they wed October 5, 1991. Prior to children, they traveled to many tropical places, including St. Croix, Barbados, and the Cayman Islands. Together they built a wonderful life in Ellicott City around their two children, Alyssa, arriving in 1995, and Scott in 1998, who were the center of his world.

Anyone who knew him would tell you that Al was calm, patient, humble, endlessly curious, and above all, always generous. He would never look for recognition or anything in return, only the joy of helping others.

Al had an affinity for DIY and home improvements: electrical work, plumbing, drywall, flooring, lawn mowers, computers, electronics, garage doors, just to name a few. And if he didn't know how to fix it, he would find YouTube tutorials, manuals, TV shows - anything that helped him learn how things worked. As a kid, he would always take things apart just to see what was inside, and that curiosity stayed with him his whole life. Any time family or friends needed his help with projects, he didn't see it as a chore: he saw an opportunity, even if it meant getting sprayed from a leaking pipe in the middle of winter.

Al loved to share his curiosity and passion for learning with others. He spent countless hours helping Alyssa and Scott with homework and studying for whichever subject they needed help with, be it math, science, or geography. He always believed in them, even when they didn’t quite believe in themselves. Beyond schoolwork, he loved explaining how everyday things worked and sharing what he knew; even something as simple as installing a shower head together became a lesson.

A teenage knee problem forced Al to transition from baseball and basketball to a lifelong passion of golf and bowling. Often bicycling to the local Tallmadge courses before he could drive, clubs strung across the handlebars. As a skilled bowler, he scored two 300 games and always maintained an average in the 200s. In his 40s, he discovered a love for cycling and went on to ride countless miles throughout Howard County. 

Traveling together, he and his family enjoyed many memorable vacations - jumping the waves at Bethany Beach, snorkeling in the Riviera Maya, searching for shark teeth on the Florida coast, experiencing the magic of Disney World and seeing the wonders of the Grand Canyon. Back home he enjoyed adventures in the neighborhood with nighttime “toad walks”, exploring houses under construction and explaining how they were built, and simply going wherever his feet took him.

Music brought joy to his life, playing trumpet in the high school band, and filling his home with noise, often to his mother’s dismay. His love of the trumpet would inspire Scott to take up the instrument as well. Al loved artists like Maynard Ferguson, The Fixx, Tears for Fears, Duran Duran and the Eagles. A talented karaoke singer, he was always a crowd favorite, especially when singing “Brown Eyed Girl,” and “Take It Easy” as a duet with Alyssa.

At home, Al was simply Dad. His laugh could be heard throughout the house whether from a  good joke or watching “The King of Queens”. He also loved unwinding with Kakuro puzzles, embracing the challenge of solving them. Every night he would tell Alyssa and Scott, “Night night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs…” as they would conclude with “…bite!” He made sure to be there for every school concert, every marching band performance, every art show, and every sporting event. cheering his family on and smiling with pride. Family game nights were played almost daily, his favorites being Rummikub and Sequence.

Al loved hearing about other people’s lives. Every day he wanted to know how school or work went, what the funny story of the day was, or how many idiots you had to avoid on the road home. He asked questions because he genuinely wanted to know the answer. Even through his health issues, his emails to friends weren’t just updates about treatments, they were full of questions about their lives, their families, vacations, golf games, bowling, and retirement.

Al had a saying whenever he, Gail, Alyssa, and Scott weren't all together: with a smile he’d say, “We’re missing a piece.” To him, family was never complete unless everyone was there.

Now we are forever missing a piece. A piece that we will carry in our hearts and minds as the lessons he taught us, the curiosity he inspired in us, the kindness he showed everyone he met, and the quiet, steady love that defined his life.

Al was preceded in death by his father, Walter Scott “Scotty” Nickells, and his beloved parents-in-law, Theodore “Ted” and Anna “Ann” Stegmiller.

Al is survived by his wife, Gail Nickells; daughter, Alyssa Nickells (Nick Sorauf); son, Scott Nickells; mother, Anna Wava Nickells; sister, Jana Kriz (Brian Richardson); brother-in-law, Glen Stegmiller (Ingrid); nieces and nephews, Evan (Heather), Andrea, Brett, Kurt (Abby), and Amanda (Adam).

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Al’s honor to the Howard County Conservancy https://howardnature.org/donate/ | info@howardnature.org | 10520 Old Frederick Road, Woodstock, MD 21163.