Steve Nicholson

Steven Howard Nicholson, 73, of Clear Lake, passed away on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, after courageously fighting a battle with brain cancer for two and a half years.

A Celebration of Life service will be at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 19, at Clear Lake Church of Christ, 2010 14th Ave. N., Clear Lake, with Pastor Brad Sheldon officiating.

Steven was born on Feb. 17, 1945, to Alvin and Vernita (Howard) Nicholson.  Missionaries to South Africa for 36 years, Steven graduated from Port Shepstone, South Africa High School in 1962.  He then continued his education at Minnesota Bible College, in Minneapolis, where he earned a Bachelor of Theology degree.  Steven ministered to the Church of Christ in Pleasant Grove, Minn., Hampton, and Clear Lake.

In 1972, he started working at the Clear Lake Sanitary District and later became the Superintendent of the plant.  In 2002, after working 30 years, he retired and then worked several different jobs including, Frito Lay, Kum and Go, Speedy Delivery and Menards.

Steven enjoyed reading God’s Word, wood working, running 13 marathons, ballroom dancing, watching Vikings football, and taking his grandchildren golfing.  Sometimes he found out the grandchildren would rather look for golf balls in the corn field or keep their eye on the birdies in the sky rather than on the greens.

Left to cherish his memory is his wife, Rosalie, of 51 years; children, Matthew (Natasha) Nicholson, of Clear Lake, and Stephanie Parkinson, of Rochester, Minn.; grandchildren, Savannah, Sierra and Samantha Parkinson, Caleb, Elisabeth, Esther, and Grace Nicholson; three siblings, Sandra (Richard) Hanson, of Rosemont, Minn., John (Mary Lynne) Nicholson, of Greenville, Tenn., and James (Marla) Nicholson, of Jacksonville, Fla.; sister-in-law, Phyllis Rhode of Erie, Colo.; six nieces; and three nephews.

Steven was preceded in death by his parents, Alvin and Vernita; sister-in-law, Charlotte VanWaardhuizen; niece, Teresa Sutherland; and a nephew, Eric Rhode.

Steven had a passion for others to know Christ as their personal Savior and prayed daily for his family, grandchildren and friends.

After several years of clinical trials and different chemo treatments, the doctors at Mayo Clinic told Steven the brain tumor was still growing and there was nothing more they could do for him.  He smiled and said, “That’s alright.  I’m a Christian and this is not the end of my life.  I get to go to Heaven.”

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.