John
John Nickerson
d. May 29, 2011
Obituary for John H. "Nick" Nickerson
Bayfield resident, John Henry "Nick" Nickerson, 87, died peacefully at his home on May 29, 2011, after a courageous fight with cancer. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on April 12, 1924, the son of Lester Emery Nickerson and Anna Madeline (Cooley) Nickerson.
Nick served as a pilot in the Marine Corps during World War II. He was a member of one of the most celebrated and distinguished air groups in the in the history of the Pacific War, Marine Aircraft Group-22. He served from 1942 to 1946, fought in the Battle of Okinawa and was in the Marine reserves through 1958; exiting the Marine Corps as a Captain.
After the war, Nick became a New Hampshire State Police Trooper from approximately 1948 through 1953. Nick later went into the mining and tunneling business, a career that took him all over the world. He moved his family from Australia to California in the early '60's and supervised the tunnel boring portion of the BART subway system in San Francisco. In 1972, they moved to Ignacio, Colorado, and he supervised the Navajo Irrigation Project. He made Colorado his home and traveled far and wide for his work to such places as Venezuela, Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Nick was an avid hunter and outdoorsman. He loved to tell stories about his life and had a wicked sense of humor. He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Mira "Chicky" Nickerson, whom he met during a flight from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Helsinki, Finland, while she was working as a Pan Am stewardess. He swept her off her feet, and when he proposed to her told her "she would never be bored," a promise that he kept.
Nick is also survived by his brother, Walter Nickerson of Pelham, N.H.; sisters Carole Howe, of Bethlehem, N.H.; and Pat Barnes of Nashua, N.H.; sons John Henry Nickerson, Jr., of Encinitas, Calif.; Kevin Paul Nickerson of Dracut, Mass.; and Jack Lester Nickerson of Dolores, Colo.; daughters Suzanne Elizabeth Solomonow of Aurora, Colo.; Joy Lyyli Nickerson of Bayfield, Colo.; and Janette Linda Nickerson of Durango, Colo.; numerous nieces and nephews; 15 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren with two on the way.
A cremation will occur. A memorial military service will be scheduled at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to the USO to support our troops, or the American Cancer Society, District II - Southwest Colorado, 1800 E. 3rd Ave Suite 101, Durango, CO 81301.
Nick served as a pilot in the Marine Corps during World War II. He was a member of one of the most celebrated and distinguished air groups in the in the history of the Pacific War, Marine Aircraft Group-22. He served from 1942 to 1946, fought in the Battle of Okinawa and was in the Marine reserves through 1958; exiting the Marine Corps as a Captain.
After the war, Nick became a New Hampshire State Police Trooper from approximately 1948 through 1953. Nick later went into the mining and tunneling business, a career that took him all over the world. He moved his family from Australia to California in the early '60's and supervised the tunnel boring portion of the BART subway system in San Francisco. In 1972, they moved to Ignacio, Colorado, and he supervised the Navajo Irrigation Project. He made Colorado his home and traveled far and wide for his work to such places as Venezuela, Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Nick was an avid hunter and outdoorsman. He loved to tell stories about his life and had a wicked sense of humor. He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Mira "Chicky" Nickerson, whom he met during a flight from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Helsinki, Finland, while she was working as a Pan Am stewardess. He swept her off her feet, and when he proposed to her told her "she would never be bored," a promise that he kept.
Nick is also survived by his brother, Walter Nickerson of Pelham, N.H.; sisters Carole Howe, of Bethlehem, N.H.; and Pat Barnes of Nashua, N.H.; sons John Henry Nickerson, Jr., of Encinitas, Calif.; Kevin Paul Nickerson of Dracut, Mass.; and Jack Lester Nickerson of Dolores, Colo.; daughters Suzanne Elizabeth Solomonow of Aurora, Colo.; Joy Lyyli Nickerson of Bayfield, Colo.; and Janette Linda Nickerson of Durango, Colo.; numerous nieces and nephews; 15 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren with two on the way.
A cremation will occur. A memorial military service will be scheduled at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to the USO to support our troops, or the American Cancer Society, District II - Southwest Colorado, 1800 E. 3rd Ave Suite 101, Durango, CO 81301.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John Nickerson, please visit our flower store.
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