Robert Grant Nicholson

Robert Grant (Rob) Nicholson died on Sunday, May 10th. He had fallen asleep, as he often did, in his favorite chair while watching late night TV at his home on Flathead Lake. He died peacefully and naturally from heart arrhythmia.
He was born the second of five children, four boys and a girl. A good middle child, Rob would become the peacemaker of the family. He never lacked for the opportunity to practice his arbitration, mediation and negotiating skills on his siblings. The four who remain, Alan, Ken, Linda and Jim, will miss him terribly. He was, for each, our steadfast ally, our friend in good times and in bad, and always ready with a good quip to make us laugh.
Rob was particularly fond of his nieces Kristin, Lisa, Angela, Kara, Liz and Molly and his nephews Paul, Chris, Aaron, Danny and Jimmy. And they were so fond of him.
After graduating from high school in Roundup, Rob earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from the University of Montana. Later in his career, he was a four year Fellow at the National Science Foundation Mathematics Summer Institute at Montclair State College in Montclair, NJ.
In 1966 Rob became a High School Mathematics teacher in Power, Montana. Subsequently, he taught for 8 years at Billings Senior High School. He was soon involved with the Billings Education Association as its President for two terms and was a member of the Montana Education Association Board of Directors. The arbitration, mediation and negotiating skills he had practiced on his siblings once again served him well.
Rob was the Director of Research and Technology and Collective Bargaining Coordinator for the Idaho Education Association where he coordinated the Collective Bargaining Program and lobbied the legislature concerning school finance issues. Well versed in school finance, Rob regularly gave lectures on that subject to classes at Boise State, the University of Idaho and Idaho State University. He also taught annual school finance classes to teacher negotiators across the United States. Upon his retirement in December of 2004, he was honored for "twenty-eight years of Courageous and Visionary Service to the Members and Staff of the IEA".

Nationally, Rob served 10 terms as President of the State Education Research Staff Association and, for 22 years, was a member of the National Education Association's Research User Advisory Group. He was instrumental in the development, testing and implementation of the landmark National Education Association's Compensation Analysis Program. Rob's early practice as a family peacemaker paid off.
Rob was always hearty, friendly, and congenial. He had many good buddies with whom he socialized in Polson and elsewhere. He traveled extensively for the National Education Association, even after retirement, and made genuine friends wherever he went. He loved boating, hiking, fishing, snowmobiling, Flathead Lake and the Yankees. (He regularly attended Spring Training in Florida.)
The family especially thanks his Polson friends Evan and Kyle Goetsch who were always ready to help Rob with almost anything and Cherie Schilling, who planted and nurtured his plants and cleaned his house. His lifelong best friends, Bob and Wilma Mihalovich of Roundup, visited him often and talked with him nearly every day. They were great pals.
Rob is survived by his brothers, Alan (Nancy) of Helena, Ken (Patti) of Billings and Jim (Gloria) of Woodinville, WA and his sister Linda Ravnikar (Dennis) of Billings and 11 nieces and nephews.
Rob has been cremated. Memorial Services are pending. Memorials can be sent to the charity of your choice.

Read Robert Nicholson's Obituary and Guestbook on www.groganfuneralhome.com.