“He is honestly the nicest guy you’d ever meet.”
“He would definitely lift your spirits, always had a smile, always very kind and gentle and was definitely one of the best people I know.”
“Nobody had a bad thing to say about him.”
“Nate would always have a hug, he would shake your hand or a smile.”
Funktastic Five lead guitarist Nate Nicholson lost his battle with lymphoma after taking medication for a double lung transplant 10 years ago.
The Quad Cities community lost more than just a local musical icon.
“If you didn’t know that he was going through all these treatments you’d never know that there was something wrong,” said QC Rock Academy Director Greg Hipskind. “Then just like that, we lost one of the best musicians in the Quad Cities,” he said.
“He had been with us for about three years,” Hipskind said. “We brought him on because he was one guy that I really admired and I wanted him on our team.”
Nicholson was not only a musician, but a teacher as well.
He taught guitar lessons in the Quad Cities for nearly 18 years.
“It was an absolute shock,” Hipskind said. “He was here on Wednesday teaching just fine and me and him had a conversation and he said he was feeling pretty good and he looked great.”
Music was Nicholson’s therapy as he battled through his sickness.
“Sick as he was when he was able to play the guitar he would be up there getting into the guitar because that’s what got him through what he was going through,” said Janet Bleuer.
Touching the hearts of many.
“Nate definitely was a sweet person,” said Amy Bleuer. “He always had a smile on his face, he always lifted your spirits no matter how bad of a day you were having,” she said.
Nicholson’s legacy will forever live on.
“He is loved by so many and touched so many hearts,” said Jennifer Bleuer. “He’s just an all-around amazing person and I was very honored to know him and to be a part of his life,” she said.
Nicholson was scheduled to meet his donor family he received his double lung transplant from Sunday in Minnesota one day before his 10-year lung transplant anniversary.
There will be a scholarship fund through the QC Rock Academy in his name for students that can’t afford lessons and for students going off to college.
