Friends, neighbors and colleagues showered Dr. B.E. Nicholson with well wishes recently during the retirement reception in his honor at the Wild Turkey Center in Edgefield.

A minimum of 200 people showed up for the event.

"I'm really surprised, and honored, that so many came out in all this bad weather," said Nicholson (affectionately known as "Dr. Ned"), as torrents of rain fell outside.

He has finally decided to retire after his 44-year career in family medicine, he said, although he will continue to see patients in the office two days a week for a while.

"I have mixed emotions about retiring," he said. "I like what I do. I don't like all the paperwork and all the regulations that it now requires. One of the reasons I haven't slowed down before now is because of the medical students. But now it's time for the young people to take over for me."

Nicholson, the son of the late Ruth and B.E. Nicholson Sr., returned to his hometown of Edgefield, after graduating from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston and serving a two-year stint in the Navy. Here, he set up a private practice with his childhood friend and medical school classmate, Dr. Wiley H. Turner. The practice first began on Lynch Street and then moved to an office on Simpkins Street before the Edgefield Medical Clinic was built.

John Pettigrew Sr. has been his patient since he first began.

"I always thought he kept up with the latest technology," he said. "He studied a lot and he always told it like it was. I admire him for that."

Frank Corley became his patient in 1983.

"He was my mother's doctor," he said. "He brought me back to health after a heart attack. I hate to see him retire."

Nicholson and Turner were instrumental in securing a hospital for the county, which opened in 1972. Nicholson has served on the hospital board and as chief of staff for many of its 36 years. His involvement in community activities and professional organizations are too numerous to mention and his awards include the 1977 Service to Mankind Award by the Sertoma Club, 1985 Family Practice Educator of the Year by the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians and the 1998 Physician of the Year by the Upper Savannah Health District.

"I told people I have so many plaques on the wall in my office," said, smiling. "Now, they will go in a closet somewhere."

One of his greatest joys has been his involvement as associate clinical professor for the Department of Family Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia. Through this program, started 26 years ago, medical students train for six weeks at a time under the direction of the doctors at the clinic. Nicholson heads the program. Now, he will turn over the reins to Dr. George Rainsford, who joined the practice 27 years ago.

Other doctors practicing at the clinic now include Dr. Tami Massey and Dr. Ellen Leaphart. Physician assistant is Dr. Curtis Wright.

Nicholson said it really doesn't seem like he has been doctoring since 1964, but now he plans to relax a little.

"I don't really feel my age (he's 72)," he said. ÒI have a sailboat, I hunt and do yard work. I'll find plenty to do."

His wife, Kitty, said she will enjoy having him home a little more often.

"He is somebody who has done exactly what he wanted to do. He found his niche in life," she said. "He still loves it. He has been a happy man. I hope we can now do some traveling and see our family a little more often."

he Nicholsons have two sons, Ned and Thomas, and two grandchildren, Ben and Taylor.