Mr. Dewayne E. Nickerson

Mr. Nickerson was born late in the evening of 10 August 1963 to Velma (née Gump) and Ernest Nickerson at the former Independence Sanitarium and Hospital in Independence, Missouri.

Dewayne graduated in 1981 from Raytown Senior High School where he was a member of the school's award-winning choir. He is an alumni of the University of Kansas where he studied journalism, communications, and music. While he loved his studies in journalism, his passion was his time singing with the university's Concert Chorale and Chamber Choir.

Mr. Nickerson had a storied career as a journalist, working in local newsrooms in Kansas City, Seattle, Norfolk, Va., Wichita, Kan., and Topeka, Kan. He worked for NBC News in New York City where he was part of the political unit during the historic 2000 presidential election. From there, he worked for CBS News for a decade, first leading news gathering in the Pacific Northwest, then as a producer for the network in Washington, DC.

Dewayne's expertise was in politics. Besides the 2000 election, he helped run election coverage in Norfolk during the 1992 elections, he led the election team in Kansas City during the 1996 elections, and he worked on the historic election of President Barack Obama for CBS News in 2008. Politics is part of his heritage, with his great uncle who served the United States as Speaker of the House.
During his exploits he was able to meet a number of state and national leaders, discussing with them important issues affecting Americans.

Mr. Nickerson was also proud of his family heritage. The families of all his grandparents, Earl Nickerson, Violet Cannon, Orlin Gump and Florence Hinderliter, all came to America in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Nickerson line arrived on the shores of Massachusetts in 1637, leaving England to find new opportunities in a new land.

Dewayne leaves behind a nephew, J. Michael Burke, of Granite Falls, Wash., four godchildren, Justin Chamberlin, Jesse Chamberlin, Andy Lassley, and Nathan Lassley, and a number of friends scattered across the globe.

Mr. Nickerson's remains will be interred within a tree planter which will be planted in Lawrence, KS. He asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the American Kidney Fund or to the University of Kansas.

Rock Chalk!