Frank Lee Nickerson

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death September 4, 2004 of Honorary Member Frank Lee Nickerson at the JML Care Center in Falmouth. He was age 86.

WHOI Associate since 1962, Frank Nickerson had a long association with the Institution. He was elected a Member of the Corporation in 1965 and an Honorary Member in 1989, and served on several committees through the years including the Audit and Development Committees.

Frank Nickerson was born September 29, 1918 in El Paso, Texas, in 1918 and received B.S., B.A. and JD degrees from Washington University in Missouri and an IA from Harvard Business School. He began his long career in business as assistant to the secretary-treasurer of the Submarine Signal Company in Boston and was assistant to the secretary of Raytheon Corporation in Waltham, MA. In 1952 he was named assistant treasurer of Wareham Savings Bank, becoming the bank’s president in 1964. When Wareham Savings Bank merged with Plymouth Savings Bank, Nickerson continued as president and chief operating officer until 1989, when he was named chairman of the board. Upon his retirement he became Chairman Emeritus of Plymouth Savings Bank.

In 1979, when a limited number of visitors were allowed into the country, Nickerson and other members of the international committee of the National Association of Mutual Savings Banks visited China at the request of the Chinese government.

Nickerson was involved in many Falmouth town committees including the school committee, planning board, building committee, school building needs committee and salary study committee. He was active in many nonprofit organizations, including the Falmouth Rotary Club, Falmouth Village Improvement Association, Falmouth Nursing association, and Woods Hole Community Association. At the time of his death frank Nickerson was a member of the Falmouth Hospital Foundation, Inc, Heritage Plantation of Sandwich, Woods Hole Foundation, Inc., and was an Honorary Member of the Edward Bangs Kelley and Elza Kelly Foundation.

Survivors include his wife, Janet (Dwight) Nickerson; three sons, Fred Nickerson of Northborough, MA, Dwight Nickerson of Williamina, OR, and David Nickerson of Mashpee, MA; one daughter, Janet Ogilvy of Sea Cliff, NY; and eight grandchildren.

Donations in Frank Nickerson’s memory may be made to the JML Care Center, 184 Ter Heun Drive, Falmouth, MA 02540.