William J. Nicoson ’54

William Nicoson died peacefully July 7, 2013, at his home in Reston, Va.

Born in Pittsburgh, Bill attended Phillips Exeter Academy. At Princeton, he majored in modern languages. He was a member of Elm Club and wrote for the Nassau Lit . He won the English prize in his freshman and sophomore years. Bill spent his third year at the Sorbonne in Paris. After graduation he served two years in the Army and completed a law degree at Harvard Law School.

He joined the law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell   and practiced law in New York and Paris. He came to Washington in 1970 to head the New Communities Administration and moved to Reston. He set up his own legal practice in Washington in 1972, specializing in international finance, urban governance, and community development. He was a founder of the Northern Virginia Connection newspapers and served as publisher. He later wrote columns for the Connection and the Reston Times.

Bill had a great love of theater and wrote seven plays. He was a member of the Cosmos Club and an avid chess player.

He is survived by his wife, Patricia; stepchildren William and Mary; and five grandchildren. The class sends condolences to them and is honored by Bill’s service to our country.