Obituary of Craig Lee Nicholson

Craig Lee Nicholson, age 67, of Fort Worth, Texas, passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 26th, 2017. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Mary Beth Nicholson and their adult children Melody Ann Derrig with husband David Derrig and Wilson James Nicholson with wife Kacie Sunshine Nicholson, as well as two grandchildren Ben and Madeline Derrig, all of Fort Worth.  Craig was born in Cambridge, Ohio on April 30th, 1950 to his surviving mother Mary Ellen (Pierce) Nicholson, and the late James Richard Nicholson. He was the second of their three children. Also surviving him are his mother-in-law Sarah Ann Wilson of Fort Worth, his older brother Gary Nicholson and his wife Linda Nicholson of Cambridge, Ohio, and his younger sister Melissa Wood and her husband Tim Wood of Claysville, Ohio. 

Craig was a star athlete in all sports as well as an excellent student throughout his academic career. He earned a degree in Business from Clark State Community College in Ohio and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Range and Animal Science from Sul Ross University in Alpine, Texas, in 1972 where he met his future wife.  They were married at All Saints Episcopal Church on April 8th, 1972 and lived out most of the rest of his life in Fort Worth, Texas.  Having been hired by his father-in-law and CEO of the company, the late Durward E. Wilson, Craig started on the night shift in the foundry at Texas Steel Corporation, but quickly rose to become one of their top sales executives.  He spent a majority of his career in sales, mostly as an entrepreneur in the steel industry, and eventually transitioned to an industry that he enjoyed even more, industrial landscape reclamation.  Resurfacing and replanting land and foliage damaged by the installation of pipelines and other industrial construction gave him a great sense of accomplishment, while the opportunity to operate and work on tractors and other heavy machinery satisfied his lifelong love for tinkering on all things mechanical.  A consummate gearhead, he was a lover of Ford tractors and MOPAR cars and trucks.  His love of automobiles is among many of the passions he passed on to his children.

Always faithfully dedicated to the church, Craig was, for the last several years, an active volunteer at the Church of the Holy Apostles (Anglican) in Fort Worth.  This exemplifies why most people knew him for his infallible willingness to help anyone with anything at any time.  None of his other attributes overshadow this, despite his exceptional intelligence, abundance of common sense, universally hilarious sense of humor, and unshakable love of family and friends.  His greatest of joys came from the gathering of family and friends during Christmas and other special occasions, and it will be during these times that his presence is most sorely missed.  Craig’s final words, which were spoken to his priest just before the reading of his last rites, included a simple request that he “tell everyone goodbye for him”, after which he peacefully fell asleep for a lengthy nap before joining his heavenly Father, forever.

A graveside service will be held at Greenwood Memorial Park on Monday, December 11th, at 1pm.  3100 White Settlement Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76107.

Memorial donations may be made to Church of the Holy Apostles, 3900 Longvue Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76126.