Nicholas "Nick" Musselman, son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Bogaard) Musselman, was born 17 July 1912 in Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, Michigan. Nick received his higher education at Western Michigan University and obtained a Master's Degree from Michigan State University. He was Principal of Okemos High School from 1937 until 1944.
Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Monday 14 February 1938
CANOE UPSET NEARLY CAUSES FLOOD TRAGEDY
The canoe ride of two Okemos men on the swift-moving flood waters of Red Cedar river barely missed being a tragedy Sunday afternoon.
Nicholas Musselman, 25, principal of Okemos high school, and Richard H. Webb, 34, proprietor of a gasoline station in Lansing, had started their boat trip to explore the flood area about 4:30 o'clock. On Indian Hills golf course their canoe struck a snag and overturned, hurling the two occupants into the turbulent murky water.
Shouting for help, the men tried to cling to the overturned craft. As the canoe rolled over and over in the rapids, however, the floundering men cut loose and grabbed for bushes to anchor them against the rushing river.
About 20 minutes after the mishap three East Lansing high school seniors swam out with a rope to Webb, who was clinging to a limb of a partly submerged tree. The trio of rescuers were Weston Gardner, Gerald Marshall, and Graham MacKichan. All have played on the high school basketball team.
It was another 10 or 15 minutes, however, before state police and others got a rope to Musselman, who was on the verge of exhaustion from his long battle with the swirling force of the river and from exposure.
A physician, Dr. T. I. Bauer, was on hand to treat the men, but apparently neither suffered any serious effects other than exposure. They were taken to Webb's home near the scene of the weather drama.
Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Wednesday 13 July 1938
OKEMOS, July 13 - A number of Okemos people have received invitations to the wedding of Miss Cornelia Vandenberg, Kalamazoo, to Nicholas Musselman, Okemos school principal, which will occur the evening of August 2. Mr. Musselman has a wide circle of friends here, having been a member of the local faculty for several years, director of the bands and last year made high school principal.
Nick wed Cornelia "Cora" VanDenBerg 2 August 1938 in Kalamazoo. The couple made their home in Okemos eventually building a new home in the Indian Hills subdivision.
Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Friday14 October 1941
OKEMOS, Oct. 17 - Several boys from the Okemos school are members of the Michigan F.F.A. band which is in training at Walden Woods camp for the national F.F.A. convention in Kansas City next week. Nicholas Musselman, Okemos school principal, is director of the band and has taken the band on tours in Michigan the last couple years.
Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Wednesday 4 February 1942
The Okemos high school band presented a fine concert to the audience which assembled Saturday evening to hear it give the mid year program. Several new instruments and 15 new members helped to balance the various sections. Beside the ensemble playing there were solos and small groups of instruments and novelty numbers. Nicholas Musselman is director of the band.
Nick resigned from his positions at OHS and became an instructor at Michigan State College. He was only there a short time before entering the US Navy 4 February 1944. Note the newspaper article stating he entered the Air Force. Military records list him entering the US Navy. Nick served as a Lieutenant with honorable discharge 30 March 1946.
Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Wednesday 2 February 1944
OKEMOS PRINCIPAL ENTERS AIR FORCE
NICHOLAS MUSSELMAN, M. S. C. INSTRUCTOR, LEAVING WEDNESDAY FOR FLORIDA
Okemos, Feb. 2 - Nicholas Musselman, until recently principal of the Okemos high school, will leave Wednesday to begin his training at the naval air base at Pensacola, Fla. For the past several months he has been an instructor in engineering mathematics at Michigan state college. Mr. and Mrs. Musselman and daughter live in Indian Hills, where they built a home three years ago. Musselman has been well known in many sections of the state through his work as director of the state F.F.A. band and his work in summer camps for youth.
Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan)Thursday 19 October 1944
Lieut. Nicholas Musselman, on leave from Whitney Field, Fla., and formerly principal of the Okemos school, spoke before the student body at a special assembly Tuesday. His wife and young daughter accompanied him from Florida to visit their parents in Kalamazoo.
Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Friday 31 July 1998
MUSSELMAN
Mr. Nicholas "Nick", of Edina, MN, formerly of Kalamazoo, MI., died Wednesday, July 22, 1998, in Wenatchee, Washington. Nick was born July 17, 1912 in Kalamazoo, the son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Bogaard) Musselman. He was a graduate of Western State University and received his Masters Degree from Michigan State University. He taught at several High Schools in Michigan and prior to his retirement in 1975 was Head of Mathematics Department at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, MI. Nick had the privilege of attending four 50 year High School Class reunions of his former High School students. He was a most understanding and caring instructor who taught his students how to have confidence in themselves which gave them a positive influence on their lives. Nick is survived by his wife, Cora; and daughter, JoAnn Yeschke, both of Edina, MN; son Ken (Mary) Musselman of West Lafayette, IN; 3 granddaughters, Pam and Lea Musselman of West Lafayette, IN and Lynda (Greg) Dunnell of Mound, MN; 2 great-grandchildren, Anna and Chad Dunnell of Mound, MN; sister, Elizabeth (Herbert) Keeler of Kalamazoo, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a sister, Dorothy VanderRoest. A memorial service will be held at 5:00 o'clock Sunday at the Calvary Christian Reformed Church. Interment was held at MT. Ever-Rest Cemetery, Kalamazoo.
Kalamazoo Gazette, August 2012
Cora VanDenBerg Musselman, 99, of Longmont, CO, died August 28, 2012, at Life Care Center of Longmont, where she had been a resident for six years, nearly reaching her goal to celebrate her 100th birthday by just 70 days. Cora was born November 6, 1912, in Kalamazoo, the daughter of Peter and Arina Johanna (Noordam) VanDenBerg. She was the youngest of six children, Helen VanDerKlok, Peter, Arthur, Mary DeBree, and Irene Mepyans, all preceding her in death. Cora married Nicholas Musselman on August 2, 1938, in Kalamazoo. They were married 60 years. He died on July 22, 1998. They had two children, JoAnn (Otwell) Derr of Longmont, CO, and Kenneth (Mary) Musselman, of West Lafayette, IN. Surviving her besides her two children, are three granddaughters, Lynda (Greg) Dunnell of Niwot, CO, Pamela (Christian) Colby of Petoskey, MI, and Lea (Josh) Loveless of Morton, IL, and four great-grandchildren. Cora was also blessed with several very loving and caring nieces and nephews who stayed in touch with her in many ways. Cora grew up in Kalamazoo, MI. She was a graduate of Mahers Business College, employed in the office of Kalamazoo Stove Co., and later at the Shakespeare Co. until her marriage. She and Nick made their home in Okemos, East Lansing and Big Rapids, MI, before moving to Edina, MN, where they lived until Nick's passing, when she moved to Longmont. She loved being with her family (the sound of her and her sisters laughing together still resonates), staying connected with friends, enjoying nature and knitting. Cora will be remembered for her warm sense of humor, speaking her mind, her love of cats and plants. Funeral services to be conducted at Grace Christian Reformed Church, 1727 Whites Rd., Kalamazoo, MI on Tuesday, September 4, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Greg Timmer officiating. Burial will be at Mount Ever-Rest Cemetery, Kalamazoo.