Nicholas William Law, age 88 of St. Croix Falls passed away on Friday, June 21, 2024 the Frederic Nursing Home.

Nick was born on April 20, 1936 in Faribault, Minnesota, the first son of Rev. William G. and Irene May (Jost) Law and a grandson of Frederick Peter Jos and Bertha (Nienas) Jost and of John G. Law and Myrtle (Rose) Law. He grew up in Farmington and Minneapolis where he was graduated from Washington High School in 1954. He participated in basketball, cross country, cello, High Y (YMCA) and camping activities and attended regularly at Edgewater United Methodist Church where his father was pastor for 16 years. He enrolled in Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa and worked with his broth Jon on the Milwaukee Road Railroad, Section Four as a laborer during college years. He graduated with a BA in English from Hamline University in 1958. The summer thereafter he went to Nativitas, Mexico and served with the American Friends Service Committee. In the fall of 1959 he taught English and history at Dover-Eyota Public Schools.

He married his college sweetheart, Ruth E. Gonzenbach in 1960. Their two sons, William Alfred and Hans Frederick were born and by the end of 1963 he received a Master of Librarianship Degree from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and began a librarianship career at Anoka-Hennepin School District in Minnesota opening the Coon Rapids High School Library and directing the District Library Acquisitions Program. In 1967 he was appointed the Director of Education, Psychology and Library Science at the University of Minnesota. He and his family lived on East River Terrace in Minneapolis during which he began an extended association with the amateur Minneapolis Civic Orchestra. After completing a second Master’s Degree at the University of Minnesota he accepted a position with the Colorado State University Library as Network Consultant. His third son, Glen Fitzgerald was born in Denver. Nick took a job as laborer with the University of Minnesota. During that time Nick rose through the ranks of State of Minnesota Operating Engineers Licenses to become a Principle Operating Engineer at the University of Minnesota Power Plants. Over the years Nick studied watercolor painting and cello. In October 1993 married Carolyn Sharratt (Lokken) at the Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church and they lived in northeast Minneapolis. Nick retired as a Principal Operator and a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) in 2000. Nick and Carolyn sold their house and moved to St. Croix Falls Lofts in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.

Nick is survived by his wife, Carolyn; sister, Deborah Kneen of Mahtomedi, MN; brothers, Rev. Peter (Sue) Law of Memphis, TN; Timothy (Linda) Law of Minnetonka, MN; his late brother, Rev. Jonathan was survived by his wife, Maryanne now remarried to Paul Sunde of Blooming Prairie, MN; he is also survived by his children, William (Karen) Law of Minneapolis; Hans (Janette) Law of Minneapolis and Glen (Christiana) Law of Blue Ridge, GA and Bradley Sharratt of Minneapolis; grandchildren, Hans, Kelly, Luke, Jovianne, Elohi, Dahla and Gavin.

A memorial service will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 27, 2024 at the Taylors Falls United Methodist Church in Taylors Falls. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at church on Thursday.

Last Update: Jun 23, 2024 9:17 pm CDT