Joseph Dax Nicola was born to Joe and Petra (Castro) Nicola on November 28, 1938, in San Marcos, Texas. He passed away peacefully on June 12, 2026, in New Braunfels, Texas.

Dax had many passions, including sailing, scuba diving, parachuting, snow skiing, cycling, guitar playing, and reading. He was an avid outdoorsman from his childhood; hunting, fishing, and exploring in and around San Marcos, Texas, and carried that adventurous nature throughout his life. Driven by a lifelong appetite for adventure, he journeyed far beyond Texas, living in Utah, New Mexico, California, Montana, Colorado, Washington, and Vancouver, Canada. Dax loved storytelling and could spin a good yarn as well as anyone. He truly seemed to know a little about everything and was always willing to learn more, right up to the very end.

Dax enlisted in the United States Navy in 1956 and served honorably as a sonar operator and radio repairman aboard a destroyer. He was always very proud of having been a "tin can sailor". He would later be prouder of seeing all five of his children serve their country in uniform. He earned a bachelor's degree from Southwest Texas State University and a master's degree from St. Mary's University and chose a career in psychology and chemical dependency treatment.

He deeply loved his dear wife, Susan, whom he met in Canada. They moved to Texas and settled in Canyon Lake, Texas, where he could be closer to his children, grandchildren, and eventually great-grandchildren.

Dax is survived by his wife of 30 years, Susan (McRae) Nicola; brothers Robert (Shirley) Nicola and William (Tanya) Nicola; sons, Joe (Susan) Nicola, Christopher (Stacy) Nicola, Mark (Emily) Nicola, Matthew (Shemaine) Nicola, and daughter Tamara (Lisa) Nicola; grandchildren, Kristen (Haley), Kyle (Colleen), Haley (Garrett), Lauren, America, Alex, Leo, and Marco;  great-grandchildren, Adler, Wyatt and Wildy; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his grandmother, Mary, his father, Joe, Sr., and mother Petra.

A memorial service will be held at Doeppenschmidt Funeral Home: 189 N. Seguin Ave, New Braunfels, Texas 78130 on Friday, July 10, 2026, from 4:00 – 6:00 PM. There will be a celebration of life directly following his service at Matt and Shemaine Nicola's home: 1540 Frontier, Spring Branch, Texas 78070.

Graveside services will be held on a later date at the City of San Marcos, Texas, Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a memorial gift in memory of Joseph Dax be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

(https://www.stjude.org)