Robert F. Nicholson

Robert F. Nicholson

Born: November 21, 1941 (Detroit, Michigan)

Died: December 13, 2025 (Viroqua, Wisconsin)

Robert F. Nicholson passed away peacefully at his home near Viroqua around sunrise on Saturday, December 13, 2025. He was 84. Born in Detroit to Stella (Onsrud) and Floyd Nicholson, he spent his childhood in nearby Mt. Clemens, Michigan. After graduating from Mt Clemens High School in 1959, he attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in Sociology. He loved engaging in long, intellectual discussions and debates with fellow students and professors, including one of his mentors, Erving Goffman, and being among the events of the Free Speech and Anti-War Movements.

In 1961, he met Beverly Brown whom he married in August 1963. They lived in the Bay Area while Robert pursued his graduate studies, and Beverly taught middle school in Oakland. They had two sons, Erik and Peter. In 1970, Robert’s father asked him to return to Detroit to help out with the business he had started, Pressure Vessel Service (PVS). By then, Robert was ensconced in the academic world, teaching classes while he worked on his dissertation. He accepted the offer—for one year, and the family moved to Detroit. After entering the business world, Robert never left it.

Robert’s career would remain in the chemical industry for the remainder of his life. He left PVS to lead his own company, Nicholson Chemical Industries (NCI) that had locations in Ohio and Puerto Rico. He later started a global logistics technology company, Strategic Wave Technology, that he led until shortly before his death.

After his marriage with Beverly ended in divorce, he met Robbie (Berta) Nichols in 2000, his “friend, companion and lover” with whom he had relationship until her death in 2019. He moved to Viroqua in early 2020, a place he knew through cherished childhood visits to Westby, where his mother grew up. Robert was a lifelong intellectual, an avid world traveler, and a lover of theater and music, particularly opera, One of Bob’s favorite activities was to go to an ocean beach during a storm. He was attracted to the power of the crashing waves, pelting rain, dark clouds, and wild wind. Another favorite activity was to take long distance trips via train or ship.

Robert was preceded in death by his father, mother and brother, Russell. He is survived by his two sons, Erik and Peter Nicholson; the two children of his former partner, David and Chrissy Nichols; several grandchildren; and by his brother and sister-in-law, Jim B. and Ann Nicholson.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Driftless Humane Society, an organization Robert supported, and that reflected his love of animals, particularly old dogs. There will be a private memorial gathering in Westby on April 25, 2026. Online Condolences may be expressed at www.vossfh.com.