Donald Herbert Nikolaus, 79, of Silver Spring, PA, passed away on Tuesday morning, February 1, 2022, at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, after a lengthy illness.
Don was born in Columbia, PA on April 17, 1942, the youngest son of Paul Joseph and Alma Marie (Baker) Nikolaus.
He attended Holy Trinity Catholic School (now known as our Lady of the Angels Catholic School) and graduated from Lancaster Catholic High School in 1960. Don then attended Villanova University and graduated from the Commerce and Finance School in 1964. He was active in many college organizations including the Blue Key Society, Delta Pi MU Fraternity and the Economist Society.
Following acceptance under the preceptorship of Attorney Wilson Bucher (later President Judge of Lancaster County), Don entered the Villanova School of Law, where he served as a resident assistant in the Undergraduate School, graduating in 1967 with a Juris Doctor Degree and passing the State Bar examination that year. He was admitted to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the Lancaster County Bar in January 1968. Following Law School, Don practiced law under the guidance of Attorney Wilson Bucher, his Preceptor. Following his tenure with the Bucher Law Firm, Don joined the law practice of Columbia attorney William Blank. In 1968, Colonel Blank assigned Don the duties of providing legal advice to the Columbia Borough School District, an account maintained to this day by the Nikolaus & Hohenadel Law Firm.
In April 1972 Don joined with fellow Columbian and Villanova Law School graduate John P. Hohenadel to form the law firm of Nikolaus & Hohenadel. The firm has grown over the years with twenty-three (23) lawyers at four (4) locations servicing the greater Lancaster County area. Don continued practicing law right up to his recent passing, encompassing an amazing legal career with major emphasis on corporate, estate and municipal law.
In 1972, following an introduction to J. Edward Charles, President and CEO of Donegal Mutual Insurance Co., Don was appointed as the youngest member of the Board of Directors of Donegal at the age of 30. In 1981, following the untimely and sudden death of Mr. Charles, Don was voted as President and CEO, a position he held until 2018. He also held the position of President, CEO and Director of Donegal Group, Inc. from 1986 to 2016. Don took a small country insurance company, whose original mission was to provide fire and casualty insurance to farmers and expanded it to a national enterprise. Through his corporate acumen and foresight, the company began to expand, purchasing small similar insurance providers across the U.S. and soon Donegal was recognized as a significant component of the insurance industry. Under his leadership and acute sixth sense of business, Donegal entered the banking services industry forming Province Bank and purchasing the former Union National Mount Joy Bank. Donegal also expanded into the title insurance field with the purchase of Conestoga Title Insurance Co., an acquisition he pursued for many years. At the time of his death he was the Chairman of the Board of Donegal Mutual Insurance Co. and Chairman of the Board of Conestoga Title Insurance Co. compiling a fifty (50) year career in that industry. He also served as past Chairman of the Insurance Federation of Pennsylvania.
In addition, Don became involved with the Columbia Water Co., one of the oldest private stock-owned water companies in the U.S. He served as President of the company and applying his gifted business logic, launched the water company on an expansion program which included acquisition of the former Marietta Water Gravity Co. and expanded the service area to include the Boroughs of Columbia, Marietta and Mountville as well as four (4) townships in Lancaster and York Counties. The pumping and filtration plant in Columbia was expanded and modernized, a project spearheaded by Don and one which brought him an immense sense of accomplishment.
Don’s community affiliations were wide and varied. His most significant was the Columbia Catholic Housing for the Elderly. He took the original idea presented to him by the late Mary Loreto, a Columbia legend, and with the late Msgr. Rudolf Fuhr, developed what would become the two (2) high rise apartment buildings in Columbia known as Trinity House and St. Peter’s Apartments, providing quality housing for senior citizens. He was very instrumental in establishing the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) serving as a director for many years. Don served as Director of many community organizations, including Columbia Healthcare Foundation, Economic Development Corp. of Lancaster Co., Lancaster Alliance, St. Anne’s Retirement Community and Past President of the Columbia Rotary Club.
Don was a lifelong member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Columbia, the Holy Name of Jesus Society, St. Vincent de Paul Society and served as a member of the Parish and Diocese of Harrisburg Finance Committees. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus, Columbia Council 2294 and the Santa Maria General Assembly Fourth Degree. Also Don was a member of the Lancaster Country Club and The Hamilton Club of Lancaster.
Don considered the greatest honor bestowed on him was his invitation to join and become a member of the Knights of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, a Catholic Order founded in 1099 A.D. and in continual existence since that time. He was inducted into the Order at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York City.
Don was preceded in death by his parents, brother Paul J. Nikolaus, Jr. and many beloved aunts and uncles. He is survived by his wife Elizabeth (Rankin), daughters Lauren Zink of Lancaster, PA, Anne Nikolaus of Haverford, PA and son Matthew Nikolaus of Silver Spring, PA, grandson Tyler Zink, granddaughters Lindsay and Kate Zink, all of Lancaster, PA and Victor Nikolaus-Pereira of Haverford, PA. He is also survived by his brother Gerald Nikolaus, sisters-in-law Lucretia Nikolaus and Margaret Nikolaus Bransby, all of Columbia, PA; Mary Stadden and Julie Fulmer of Lancaster, PA and brothers-in-law Richard Rankin of Fairfax, VA and John Rankin of Salisbury, MD. Also surviving is his mother-in-law, Lucy Lolli Rankin.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 409 Cherry St., Columbia, PA on Saturday, February 12, 2022 at 11:00 A.M. with Fr. Stephen Kelley as celebrant. There will be no public viewing.
In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor Donald may do so by making a contribution to Our Lady of the Angels Catholic School, 404 Cherry St., Columbia, PA 17512. Those still preferring to send flowers should direct the delivery of the bouquets to Holy Trinity Church, 409 Cherry St., Columbia, PA 17512 to arrive there by 9:30 A.M. on Saturday, February 12, 2022. Personal hand written condolences will be greatly appreciated and may be mailed to the Clyde W. Kraft Funeral Home, 519 Walnut St., P. O. Box 231, Columbia, PA 17512.
The Funeral Mass livestream may be viewed at facebook.com/htparish.
