Edwin Nicholson

1925 - 2018

Edwin Nicholson

Richmond - Edwin Nicholson, age 93, died Friday, April 20, 2018, at Reid Health Hospice.

Ed was born March 12, 1925, in Mount Holly, New Jersey, to Edwin Leslie and Edith Branson DeCou Nicholson. His early years were spent in Moorestown, New Jersey, and across the Delaware River in the western suburbs of Philadelphia, where he graduated from Friends Central School in 1943. Ed's first adult experiences on his own were spent in Civilian Public Service as a pacifist during WWII. He helped maintain trails in the Smoky Mountains National Park, participated as a "guinea pig" in medical research trials, and served as an attendant in mental hospitals, giving him experiences that were reflected in his interests and service throughout his life. Ed graduated from Swarthmore College in 1949 and earned a master's degree in economics from the University of Minnesota in 1950.

Driving home to Philadelphia from Minneapolis, Ed decided to visit his brother, Dav, who was a student at Earlham College. The next day he was offered a job as assistant supervisor, building Stout Memorial Meeting House on Earlham Campus. The rest of Ed's life was spent living in Richmond. From 1950 until 1954, he held a variety of staff/faculty positions at Earlham. In 1954, Ed married Christina Baldwin, EC '54, and organized a cooperative group of five families who built their homes on College Avenue. First the business was named Self-Help Builders, but in 1958 became Nicholson Builders in which he partnered with his brother, Dav and later with son, Douglas (after 1988) until 2008. Nicholson Builders built about 500 single homes, plus about 300 multiple units, including Southview Public Housing, Earlham Brick City, Quaker Hill Lodge, nursing home rooms, Beth Boruk Temple, and much remodeling. Subdivisions developed include: Crestwood, Milleson Addition, Backmeyer, Locust Lane, Rolling Plains, Salisbury Village, Hidden Valley, and Clear Creek Heights.

Ed was involved in a wide range of political and civic activities. He served on committees and/or the board of the Redevelopment Commission, the Sanitary District, the Gorge Committee, and the Board of Zoning Appeals. Ed was twice a candidate for the Indiana House of Representatives. He was a charter member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Wayne County Home Builder's Association, president of SPUR, president of the IVTC Advisory Committee, board president of Richmond Sister Cities, and board member of Habitat for Humanity. In the first ten years of his retirement from active building, Ed served as volunteer construction supervisor for 28 Habitat homes.

As a lifelong member of the Society of Friends (Quakers), Ed was an active member of West Richmond Friends Meeting. He served as presiding clerk and on several committees. Ed was also on the boards of the Quaker Hill Conference Center and of Friends Fellowship Community. During the last four years of his life, Ed had been especially active in working on the development of a Quaker Welcome Center at the former Friends Meeting House in Fountain City, Indiana, where Levi and Catharine Coffin worshiped.

Ed Nicholson is survived by his wife, Christina Baldwin Nicholson; children, Douglas Nicholson (Brenda Cope), Bruce Nicholson (Lee Ann Akin), Daniel Nicholson (Pattie Midgett), Diana Nicholson-Nelson (Gil), and Barbara Nicholson (Robert Davis); grandchildren, Lillian Emendy (Jenny), Robin Nicholson (Scott Bartel), Liz Nicholson, Amelia Midgett-Nicholson, Bentley Nicholson-Nelson, and Madison Davis; sister, Edith Stackhouse; and brother, Bob Nicholson.

He is predeceased by his brother, Dav Nicholson and daughter-in-law, Bonnie Wasson Nicholson.

A memorial service for Edwin Nicholson will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, May 6, 2018, at West Richmond Friends Meeting.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to: West Richmond Friends Meeting, 609 West Main Street, Richmond, IN 47374 (with Quaker Welcome Center in the memo).

Condolences may be sent to the family via the guest book at www.doanmillsfuneralhome.com.