in Florida, Morocco, Illinois, and Virginia. Jim and Margaret met while attending
the University of Florida and married in 1976. They have four adult children
and four grandchildren. While at UF, they attended a Campus Crusade for
Christ event with Josh McDowell and recommitted their lives to Christ. Jim
graduated from UF with a BS in Forestry and was commissioned in the US
Marine Corps in June 1977.
Jim was designated a Naval Flight Officer in 1979, began his military career
flying in the A-6E (Intruder), and got his civilian Private Pilot License in 1981.
Through 30 years in the Marines, he has been deployed multiple times around
the world in a variety of capacities and was qualified in the F/A-18D (Hornet) and EA-6B (Prowler). Jim
accumulated over 2,900 hours in tactical jets on land- and carrier-based operations. During his military career, he was
awarded two Masters Degrees, an M.M.S. in military studies from the Marine Corps University (1994) and an M.A. in
strategic studies from the Naval War College (2000). After retirement in 2007, Jim served with VITA as a volunteer tax
preparer, at Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, and with the Africa Mercy Hospital Ship in Tenerife off West Africa. More
recently, he has been active with the Experimental Aircraft Association, building, flying, and maintaining a Zenith CH-750
Stol (N4031N - Isaiah 40:31) and certified as an FAA repairman. He is currently building a Glasair Glastar. Jim and
Margaret currently attend Cascade Christian Reformed Church in north Marysville. Jim enjoys visiting the grandchildren,
rock collecting & faceting, camping, attending the Apologetics Forum of Snohomish County, and the MATA Friday night
Bible Studies. They have a heart for missions and aviation, so MATA is a natural match. The Nicholses love the Lord
and strive to spread His Gospel in every facet of their lives.
