NICHOLSON,
Ralph
Vistoso Funeral Home,
Oro Valley, Arizona
Ralph Nicholson
October 19, 1928 - October 9, 2014
NICHOLSON, Ralph 85, of SaddleBrooke, AZ passed away October 9, 2014.
He is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Carol; children, Steve (Carol) Nicholson, Jean Ann (Ruben) Moreno, Sandy (Ben) Simon, Sherri Hill and Mike Nicholson; Grandchildren Monica Vincent, Jason Moreno, Jesse Simon, Daniel (Corinne) Nicholson, Crystal (Dajon) Deryke, Nicole (George Eandi) Nicholson, Tracy (Robert)Tipton, Calvin (Megan) Clark, Coy Clark . He also leaves behind his sister Paula (Bobby) Waugh, and numerous great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Ralph was preceded in death by his mother and father Pauline Nicholson-Torbett and Ralph Clifford Nicholson Sr., his grand-daughter Collette Nicholson and half brother Tim Nicholson.
Ralph graduated from Tulsa Central High School in 1946 and went right into the United States Marine Corps. After 2 years he was honorably discharged and got married to Norma Jean Coleman and they had five children. Ralph started his aviation career in Tulsa at American Airlines. Moved the family to Ohio and decided they did not like the winters and moved to the Bay area in California for better weather.
Ralph was a wonderful provider for his family, at times working as many as three jobs to make ends meet. He even coached little league baseball and football for his boys.
Ralph and Norma Jean divorced and Ralph transferred to New York City with American Airlines. Ralph met Carol and they got married in March of 1974. Ralph and Carol started their adventure together enjoying; camping, traveling, operas and classical concerts, golf, college basketball & football, and spending time with his children and grand-children.
After Ralph and Carol married they moved back to the west coast in Southern California where they lived for 5 years. In 1979 they moved to Tulsa where Ralph was originally from. Ralph retired in 1983 from a 32 year relationship with American Airlines. After he retired, Ralph and a friend started a side business “Rent-a-Hubby”, doing small handyman jobs for about 5 years. During this time Ralph decided to get his private pilot’s license and immediately bought his first single engine airplane. A year later, he earned his instrument rating, and was able to soar amongst the clouds. Ralph convinced Carol in 1994 to get her pilots license so that way either of them would be able to take to the skies. Carol retired in 1999 from Tulsa Public Schools and they moved to SaddleBrooke, Arizona. He loved SaddleBrooke because they were able to golf anytime they wanted to. Ralph and Carol purchased their second plane and enjoyed flying all over Arizona. After Ralph was diagnosed with head cancer they sold the plane and he purchased a 1989 Itasca class A motor home, to keep him busy. He fixed it up and they took trips from Missouri to Northern California and everywhere in-between. Their last trip in July of 2013, was to the White Mountains in Northern Arizona at Canyon Point Campground.
TO THOSE I LOVE AND THOSE WHO LOVE ME
When I am gone, release me,
let me go.
I have so many things to see and do.
You mustn’t tie yourself to me
with tears,
Be happy that we had so many years.
I gave to you my love.
You can only guess
How much you gave to me
in happiness.
I thank you for the love you each
Have shown
But now it’s time I traveled on alone.
So grieve awhile for me,
If grieve you must
Then let your grief be comforted
by trust.
It’s only for awhile that we must part
So bless the memories within
Your heart.
I won’t be far away, for Life goes on.
So if you need me, call and I will come.
Through you can’t see or touch me,
I’ll be near,
And if you listen with your heart,
You’ll hear
All of my love around you soft
And clear.
And then, when you must come this
Way alone,
I’ll greet you with a smile, and “Welcome Home”
Author Unknown
Gone from my sight- Henry Van Dyke
I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
Then, someone at my side says, “There, she is gone”
Gone where?
Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me — not in her.
And, just at the moment when someone says, “There, she is gone,”
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, “Here she comes!”
And that is dying…