Anton & Helen Nizich
ANTON AND HELEN NIZICH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Anton Jerry ‘Tony’ Nizich was born November 20, 1916 in Oregon City, Oregon. In 1941 he married the former Helen Chiotti. From 1942 to 1946 he served in the military at the U.S. Army Induction Station, Portland, Oregon. During that time he occasionally served guard duty for Eleanor Roosevelt’s first cousin. At war’s end, Tony received an honorable discharge from the service and became a highly respected businessman and a stalwart of the Oregon City community.
In 1960 he started the Nizich Brothers Fine Furniture Company and served as its president. He was a member of Saint John the Apostle Catholic Church, where he served as a trustee for the church’s Education Foundation and was a life member of the Knights of Columbus. He was a member of the BPOE #1189. Tony was a past president of the Marylhurst Parents Club and was a member of the Sierra Club. He was active in Little League baseball and he and Helen were members of the Willamette Valley Country Club. Tony passed away on November 20, 1996. He was survived by his daughter Ann Marie plus several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Tony enjoyed steelhead and salmon fishing and loved to spend time “on the river.” He was an avid golfer and enjoyed bridge and traveling with his wife. Their travels included trips to Greece, Italy, Croatia, and the Holy Land. Tony was a staunch supporter of continuing one’s education. He had a deep commitment to family and lived to see his first two great-grandsons born. This scholarship in his memory was established within the Military Science Scholarship Endowment Fund in January 2001 through Helen’s generous donations. The scholarship recognizes his commitment to education and service to the community. Helen passed away in 2002.