Margie S. Nicholson's Obituary
Margie was born on February 2, 1928 to Milburn Gauss and Anna S. Swanson in Jackson, Michigan at Mercy Hospital. She delighted in reminding people that there were two holidays on February 2, not just Groundhog’s Day. Her life spanned from the 1920’s to the 2020’s and she lived her 93 years to the fullest. She lived in Stockbridge, Michigan as a little girl and acquired her love for horses and dislike of chicken on her grandparent’s farm. The next move was to North Adams, Michigan. It was there that at age 7 she put her faith in Jesus on a Sunday night after church with her mother at her bedside. The faith of a child blossomed into a mature faith that she shared with nearly everyone she met, right up to her final days. Milburn, Anna and Margie eventually moved to Jackson, Michigan where she attended and graduated from Jackson High School. In her younger years, Margie’s musical ability to play piano was revealed. She always liked to tell people that her music teacher was Helen Griggs, the lady who wrote the little chorus, “Gone, Gone, Gone.” Margie was a precocious child and eventually attended “Opportunity School,” a school for gifted students. Margie met the love of her life, Don Nicholson, in 1946. They ran in the same circles and shared faith and a heart for ministry. They married on April 3, 1948. Their love for the Lord led them to involvement in their church, Memorial Baptist, which eventually became Cascades Baptist Church. They were an integral part of the building of the church. They were also involved in other ministries like CYC, Family Life Radio, Breakfast Club, and Maranatha Bible and Missionary Conference. Actually, Margie worked at Maranatha in the Sweet Shoppe at age 14 after her mother learned about it at church. She thought it would be great for Margie to work there, so she put her on a bus and sent her from Jackson to Muskegon. That’s when her love for Maranatha was birthed. Margie supported her husband Don in both ministry and work. Ministry included over twenty-five years leading music and choirs at their church. She was usually at the piano or the organ. At rehearsals, she would play everyone’s part, if they needed it. She would accompany well known Christian artists who would sing or play at the church and various events. She accompanied a well-known pastor in evangelistic meetings throughout Michigan. At the same time, she and Don started the Kitchen Shop with a friend and it grew into a successful kitchen and bath design business. Behind every successful man is a strong supportive woman. Margie was extroverted and fun-loving. She never met a stranger. We can all remember waiting for Margie to finish a conversation with someone. She made people feel special and loved wherever she went and would often just pick up the phone and call a friend because she needed to talk. Margie and Don also traveled the world together. In 1957, their first trip led them to Quito, Ecuador helping the mission organization HCJB. We can’t even remember all the places they went or the cruises they took. There are hundreds, no thousands of photos to document their trips together. Once her traveling days were over, Margie loved to get out old photo albums to relive their special moments around the world. As an only child, Margie’s family meant the world to her. God blessed her and Don with three girls, Diane, Jan, and Sandy. Of course, with a musical talent like Margie for a mother, the girls were given piano, violin, french horn and vocal lessons from an early age. They also sang as a vocal trio from the time they were little girls. Margie made them matching dresses and accompanied them at the piano to the delight of many audiences at church and beyond. Margie’s love for music impacted the whole family. More than anything else, Margie loved Jesus and cherished her faith in Him. She always wanted to know, “Do you trust in the Lord as your Savior?” And she wanted to know, “When?” This reminded us of her mother, Grandma Smith, who did the same thing. In one of her Bibles, she has a list of her children and grandchildren and what age they were when they were saved. Margie’s long earthly journey is over. She left earth on June 21, 2021 at 3:58 pm. She is now enjoying her heavenly Father and is reunited with her loved ones who were there to meet her. Perhaps she was asked to play the piano on her first night in heaven as her music was clearly “heavenly.” Margie is survived by her children; Diane Nicholson, Jan and Bill Oudemolen, Sandy and Greg Nyenhuis, her grandchildren; Dan Ewald, Sarah Ewald, Rachel and Anthony DiGiovanni, Rebekah Ewald, Betsy and Paul Phillips, Julie and Joe Patterson, and by her great-grandchildren; Isabella, Micaiah,Layla, Ava, Sadie, Alexis, Lanie, Zain, Oliver, Willamina, Connor, Bridget. VISITATION with the family will be Friday, June 25 from 5:00-7:00PM at The Lee Chapel of Sytsema Funeral & Cremation Services, 6291S. Harvey St., Norton Shores, MI 49442. A FUNERAL SERVICE will be held on Saturday, June 26 at 10:00AM at Maranatha Bible and Missionary Conference – Sweet Shoppe (4759 Lake Harbor Rd., 49441). For a more lasting memory, memorial contributions may be directed to Maranatha, Youth Haven or MAF Mission Aviation Fellowship.
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