Loren Nicholson

Loren Nicholson Loren Nicholson, beloved husband, historian, world traveler, retired Cal Poly Professor and kind heart, died June 25, 2016, at his home in San Luis Obispo. He was 94 years old. Loren was a prolific and popular author of local Central Coast history. His most popular book, "Rails Across the Ranchos," was published in three editions between 1993 and 2002. He began writing California history when he served as first editor of La Vista, a publication of the San Luis Obispo Historical Society. Other major books include "San Luis Obispo County Pathways: A Guide to The Historical Highlights of the County" (1981), "Romualdo Pacheco's California" (1990), and a novel, "Carrillo's Defiant Daughters" (2007). Nicholson was a past president of the San Luis Obispo County Historical Society as well as the South County Historical Society. The San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum recognized his contribution to the preservation of local railroad history in September 2010. He also had a regular column in SLO Senior, and his byline was seen frequently in the San Luis Obispo Telegram-Tribune. He was also a longtime member of RAMS (Retired Active Men) and organized many tours for the group. He was born in Colorado but grew up in San Jose, during the depth of the Depression. He attended local schools, always with side jobs, and entered San Jose State in 1940. Loren's college education was suspended in 1942 when he was called up for military service. As a Private he was assigned to the U.S. Army 407th Infantry Division (a part of General Patton's Third Army) stationed in the heavily forested Ardennes that bitter winter, just as the Battle of the Bulge began. During the later days of the battle, Loren was sent on a reconnaissance mission and became unable to reconnect with what was left of his unit. To complicate matters, a group of teenage German soldiers surrendered to the then lost Nicholson. Since he had suffered severe frostbite, he was later evacuated to England for treatment and returned to the states on the troop-ship Queen Mary. Upon his return to the States, Nicholson was able to complete his Journalism degree from San Jose State in December 1945, continuing with an MBA from Stanford. He later launched his career at Sunset Magazine, then the Redding Record Searchlight. He joined the Journalism Department at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo in 1960, retiring in 1976 as Department Chair. Nicholson is survived by beloved wife Bernice of 33 years, as well as stepson, Kevin Loughran. The United Church of Christ (Congregational), 11245 Los Osos Valley Road, is hosting a Memorial Service for Nicholson, Saturday, July 30th, at 2:00pm. Sign his guestbook at sanluisobispo.com/obituaries