Robert E. Nicholas, age 86, died Wednesday, January 24, 2018, at the Parkview Care Center, Osborne, Kansas. He was born February 13,1931, in Nebraska City, Nebraska to George E. and Caroline M. (Ellis) Nicholas. He married Faye Anne (Schirer) on June 7, 1958 at Newton, Kansas. She preceded him in death on May 15, 1982.
He was the Librarian at Victoria, Grade School and Victoria High School from 1984 until he retired in 1994. Robert grew up in Omaha, NE and Englewood, CO and was a 1949 graduate of Englewood High School. He receives his BME Degree in music from the University of Colorado at Bolder and his MME Degree in music from Fort Hays State College. He taught music at Jennings, for one year, he taught music and band at Monument for 14 years, then he taught music and band at Stockton for 17 years.
He was a member and played with the Hays Big Band, Hays Symphony Orchestra, Hays City Summer Band, the FHSU Brass Choir and a member of the Kansas Music Educators Association. He was a volunteer with the FHSU High Plains Band Camp and with the Hays Public Library for over 20 years. He also was a statistician for the Victoria High School Athletics Program.
Survivors include three daughters, Patty Nicholas, Hays, KS; Cindy Grieve and husband, Philip, Osborne, KS; Kathryn Nicholas and Justin Thiessen, Lincoln, NE; one nephew, Kent Nicholas, Englewood, CO; three grandchildren, Tiffany Krier (Adam), Dillon Grieve (Meagan), Chelsea Dowell (Brandon); six great grandchildren, Gage Robinson, Alexis Krier, Natalie Krier, Sara Grieve, Allison Grieve and Mason Grieve.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; one brother, Edward James “Jim” Nicholas; two sisters, Doris Nicholas and Ruth Nicholas; and one nephew, James Edward “Eddie” Nicholas.
Services are at 11:00 A.M. Monday, January 29, 2018, at the First United Methodist Church, 7th and Ash, Hays, Kansas. Graveside services are at 3:00 P.M. Monday, at the Stockton Cemetery, Stockton, Kansas.
Visitation is from 10:00 to 11:00 A.M. Monday, at the church.
The family suggests memorials to the Fort Hays State University Department of Music and Theater.
Services are entrusted to Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601.