Nicholas Ian Chester, 32, of Dallas, Texas, passed away on April 14, 2026. Nicholas was born August10, 1993, in McKinney, Texas, Collin County, to Merri Allstadt Chester and Mark Scott Chester.

Nicholas was a sweet and loving child. As a young boy, he enjoyed ice skating and took lessons with his mother. He began playing the violin at the age of six under the guidance of Rob Flickinger and continued for many years, performing in the Lake Highlands Junior High and High School orchestras. He also had a natural artistic talent and loved to draw. During his teenage years, he created beautifully detailed wire-wrapped crystals and stones, reflecting the same patience and precision he later brought to building and custom airbrushing intricate Gundam models, which he shared online.

He had a deep love for animals and was often the one to bring them into the family's life. Among them were Grr, a tiny tortoiseshell kitten he rescued as the runt of her litter; Boo; Bennie, a spirited but calm Jack Russell "terrorist"; and Mina, a white German Shepherd he adopted while working at Happy Tails. Mina, once shy and uncertain, became a beloved and loyal companion to the family.

Nicholas spent time with his father through Indian Guides, participating in neighborhood campouts alongside a close group of boys who were an important part of his early years. Each year, he looked forward to hosting a pool party in the family's backyard, bringing those same friends together. Around the ages of 10 to 12, he and his father, an experienced sailor, began sailing at White Rock Lake through Corinthian Boat Club lessons, and later Nicholas sailed his own boat with White Rock Boat Club.

After relocating to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Nicholas entered the yachting industry with the encouragement of a close family friend, DJ Kiernan. After completing his certifications, he began working on a superyacht under an experienced captain. His work took him far from home, including a year in Saipan in Micronesia, where he cruised the Northern Mariana Islands. He also traveled along the Eastern Seaboard – from Newport and Manhattan to the coast of Maine – as well as throughout the

Bahamas and Caribbean. One of his parents' fondest memories was standing at the 17th Street Causeway Bridge in Fort Lauderdale, watching with pride as Nicholas and his crew sailed by aboard the 155-foot motorsailer Mitseaah during the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show.

Nicholas had an offbeat sense of humor and a quick wit. He was naturally outgoing and at ease with people, able to strike up a conversation with just about anyone. Even as a young child, he would climb onto a barstool in a restaurant and start chatting with whoever caught his attention. He could be

talkative and animated with friends, or more quietly observant, taking in the world around him. He connected easily with others and made people feel at ease in his presence. He carried himself with a quiet strength and stoicism, rarely showing discomfort even in difficult moments.

He is survived by his mother, Merri Allstadt Chester; his father, Mark Scott Chester; his uncle, John H. Allstadt and wife Linda Allstadt; his cousin, Shay Allstadt Webster and her husband Scott; his cousin, Billy Cantwell; his uncle, Tim Philip Chester and Marie-France Garros, and their daughter Penelope Chester, her husband Alex Soto, and their son Gabriel; his aunt, Deborah Chester, and her daughter Lara; and the late Ira Allstadt III's wife, Claire Allstadt, and their children, Sky Allstadt and his wife

Niki Allstadt, their children Skylar and Lucas Allstadt, and Sara D. Allstadt; and the late Ira Allstadt III's son, Bobby and Shelle Montgomery, and their sons Dillon and Braden; as well as many close friends.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Evelyn Holdway Allstadt, Ira Chester Allstadt, Hal E. Chester, and Virginia Weatherly Chester; and by his uncle, Ira Allstadt III.

He is also remembered with love by his godparents, Gail Jackson, Billy Jackson, John H. Allstadt, and Susan Lamberson.

He will be deeply missed and forever loved by his family and friends – and would probably have something to say about that.