Bernard
Bernard Nicolaisen
d. July 4, 2015
Bernard Henry (Nic) Nicolaisen, age 94, passed away Saturday July 4, 2015 at home in Overland Park, Kansas. He died peacefully in the arms of his beloved wife of 64 years, Mary. Nic was born in Cleveland Ohio, eldest child of Clara (né Spitzig) and Henry Bernard Nicolaisen.
He attended West High School and Case Institute of Technology in Cleveland, OH and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA. He was a member of Alpha Chi Sigma and Tau Beta Pi honor fraternities and received Bachelor and Master Degrees in Chemical Engineering.
Nic served in the Army as a Second Lieutenant during World War II as a Chemical Engineer and as a reservist until the 1950’s. He had a long career as a Chemical Engineer and Director of Research and Development with Olin Chemical Corporation, finally ending his career as the Director of Advanced Technologies in the late 1980’s. He worked on many varied and interesting projects during his career including the invention of the Olin-Raschig process for the production of anhydrous hydrazine for aerospace applications including fuel for the Mercury-Redstone and Minuteman missiles. He held over 100 patents through his work at Olin. Nic is a member emeritus of the American Chemical Society and the American Society of Chemical Engineers.
He loved to travel both for work and pleasure. He and Mary spent many months during their retirement travelling to all 50 states and to many international locations.
Nic is survived by his wife Mary (né Scharlach); daughters Karen Atwood (Rick), Sandy Axel (Jeff), and Marcia Contreras (Dan); 5 grandchildren: Captain David Axel USMC, Lieutenant Michael Axel USN (Taylor), Daniel Axel, Chris Contreras, Ensign Abigail Axel USN, and James Contreras; nephews Jim McManamon (Christina) and Mark McManamon; niece Claire Kilbane; grandnephew Kevin Kilbane (Sarah) and great-grandnephew Bennett Kilbane.
He was preceded in death by his parents Clara and Henry Nicolaisen, and his sister Marie McManamon.
He will be interred at the Willamette National Cemetery in Portland Oregon on July 15, 2015 at 1:30pm preceded by a Funeral Liturgy at Holman’s Funeral Services Reception Room, 2610 SE Hawthorne Blvd
Portland, OR 97214 on July 15, 2015 at noon.
A memorial celebration is planned at a future date in Overland Park Kansas. Call Johnson County Funeral Chapel at 913-451-1860 for more information.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the Alzheimer’s Association at http://act.alz.org/goto/Nic_Nic or to Case Fund at Case Western Reserve University: Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-7035
He attended West High School and Case Institute of Technology in Cleveland, OH and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA. He was a member of Alpha Chi Sigma and Tau Beta Pi honor fraternities and received Bachelor and Master Degrees in Chemical Engineering.
Nic served in the Army as a Second Lieutenant during World War II as a Chemical Engineer and as a reservist until the 1950’s. He had a long career as a Chemical Engineer and Director of Research and Development with Olin Chemical Corporation, finally ending his career as the Director of Advanced Technologies in the late 1980’s. He worked on many varied and interesting projects during his career including the invention of the Olin-Raschig process for the production of anhydrous hydrazine for aerospace applications including fuel for the Mercury-Redstone and Minuteman missiles. He held over 100 patents through his work at Olin. Nic is a member emeritus of the American Chemical Society and the American Society of Chemical Engineers.
He loved to travel both for work and pleasure. He and Mary spent many months during their retirement travelling to all 50 states and to many international locations.
Nic is survived by his wife Mary (né Scharlach); daughters Karen Atwood (Rick), Sandy Axel (Jeff), and Marcia Contreras (Dan); 5 grandchildren: Captain David Axel USMC, Lieutenant Michael Axel USN (Taylor), Daniel Axel, Chris Contreras, Ensign Abigail Axel USN, and James Contreras; nephews Jim McManamon (Christina) and Mark McManamon; niece Claire Kilbane; grandnephew Kevin Kilbane (Sarah) and great-grandnephew Bennett Kilbane.
He was preceded in death by his parents Clara and Henry Nicolaisen, and his sister Marie McManamon.
He will be interred at the Willamette National Cemetery in Portland Oregon on July 15, 2015 at 1:30pm preceded by a Funeral Liturgy at Holman’s Funeral Services Reception Room, 2610 SE Hawthorne Blvd
Portland, OR 97214 on July 15, 2015 at noon.
A memorial celebration is planned at a future date in Overland Park Kansas. Call Johnson County Funeral Chapel at 913-451-1860 for more information.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the Alzheimer’s Association at http://act.alz.org/goto/Nic_Nic or to Case Fund at Case Western Reserve University: Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-7035
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