Nikstad, James R.James (Jim) Robert Nikstad, 67, of Wausau, passed away July 7, 2017, at his home, surrounded by the love of his family. Jim found peace in the Lord after living 26 months with non-Hodgkins lymphoma.Jim was born on November, 1, 1949 in Superior, Wisconsin, the third of eight children born to Orville and Margaret (McCuskey) Nikstad. He grew up on the family farm in Foxboro, Wisconsin. Jim attended Patzau Elementary School, went to 9th grade at Central High School and graduated from Superior Senior High School in 1968. Jim earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Superior in 1972 with a mathematics major and physics minor. He served in the US Army from 1972-1974 as a funds clerk for the chaplain at Fort Lee, Virginia. Jim received his master's in statistics from Marquette University in 1976. Through his hard work, education altered the course of Jim's life and he generously and enthusiastically supported the academic progress of both family members and friends and many academic institutions. He often spoke genuinely to young people about the transformative power of education in his life.In 1976, Jim married his loving wife, Emalyn Tucker, at St. William's Catholic Church in Foxboro, Wisconsin. They recently celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary on June 26, 2017. Jim was a devoted husband and kind father to Laura (1978), Paul (1982) and Bethany (1986). He enjoyed supporting and coaching his children in academics, sports, scouts, and music. Jim instilled values of honesty, responsibility and open-mindedness in his children. He was a father to the family's exchange student, Florian Neutze of Germany, and attended his wedding in Berlin in 2016. He was a caring son-in-law to Emalyn's mom. Jim wholeheartedly welcomed his son-in-law, Daniel Tyx and daughter-in-law, Erica Judd to the family, both in 2007. Jim cherished his three grandchildren and loved to read and sing with them.Jim worked his entire 33 year career at Wausau Insurance/Liberty Mutual as an actuary. He passed all 10 actuarial exams to become a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society and Member American Academy of Actuaries. He retired in June of 2009. Jim found great purpose in his work, using his intelligence, logic and analytical skill to work with a team to solve problems. Jim cultivated many lifelong friendships at Wausau Insurance.Jim gave generously, both financially and with his time, to the Wausau community. He was a charter and continuous member of the United Way Summit League since 1987, a supporter of the YMCA, the Performing Arts Foundation and many other organizations. Jim enjoyed volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. Much of Jim's service was through his church, St. Matthew's Catholic Church of Wausau, of which he was a member for 39 years. Over the years, he served as Corporate Treasurer, Finance Council Chair and the chairman of the Treasure Sale for 8 years. Jim lived his faith by using his gifts and training in service to others. He led with wisdom and by valuing the voices and opinions of his fellow parishioners. Jim was honored to work with Helping Hands on humanitarian trips to both Jamaica and Kenya. Jim loved music, sang with great joy and shared this love of music with his family. He sang in the men's choir in college, with the Wausau Insurance Music Society, and at St. Matt's. Jim loved to exercise and over his life played baseball, pickleball, and golf, including two holes-in-one. He loved to camp, hike, and bike with Emalyn. He enjoyed hunting with his family and loved to watch wildlife.Jim was an avid duplicate bridge player and was Life Master with 1225 master points. He was the Wisconsin Upper Michigan Bridge Association player of the year in his division in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. He served the bridge community as the treasurer of WUMBA for 6 years. Wherever he traveled, he and Emalyn would find a bridge game, including games in South Texas, Alaska and Edinburgh, Scotland. In their retirement, Jim and Emalyn taught bridge lessons and shared their love and knowledge of the game with numerous students. As one student said, they not only learned to play bridge, but found a new circle of friends.Jim is survived by his spouse, Emalyn Nikstad, his three children, Laura Nikstad (Daniel Tyx) of McAllen, Texas, Paul Nikstad (Erica) of Deephaven, Minnesota and Bethany Nikstad of St. Louis, Missouri, his three grandchildren, Benjamin (Byrdie) Tyx, Ana Gloria Tyx and Judd Paul Nikstad, his siblings and their spouses, Judy Nikstad, Richard Nikstad (Bonnie), Jane Olson (James), Ron Nikstad (Tracy), Gerald Nikstad (Deborah) and Sandy Rutherford, his mother-in-law, Leona Tucker and brother-in-law Richard Tucker (Bonita), his aunts, Carol(Nikstad) Strohman, Joan Nikstad, Audrey McCuskey, Barbara McCuskey and Anna (McCuskey) Strand, an uncle Harry (Carol) McCuskey and many loving nieces, nephews and cousins. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Orville and Margaret Nikstad, his brother, Edward Nikstad, his sister, Barbara Obester and his father-in-law, Joseph Tucker.The family would like to thank Jim's doctors for the excellent care they provided: Dr. Reswan Islam at Marshfield Clinic Cancer Center Weston and at St. Clare's Hopsital, Dr. Parameswaran Hari at Froedert/MCW Grace Clinic at Froedert Hospital in Milwaukee and Dr. Harish Ahuja at Aspirus Cancer Center at Aspirus Hospital in Wausau. The family also wishes to extend our warmest thanks to all of Jim's nurses, CNAs, physical therapists and hospice staff who showed such kindness and loving care to him. Jim formed strong bonds with his caregivers, always learning their names and thanking them for their care.There will be a visitation at Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, 3400 Stewart Avenue, Wausau on Sunday, July 9, 2017 from 5:00-8:00 pm. There will be a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday at the funeral home. Jim's Funeral Mass will take place at St. Matthew Catholic Church on Monday, July 10, 2017 at 11:00 am with visitation from 9:00 am until the time of services at the church. Rev. Robert Thorn will preside. Full military honors will be conducted by the American Legion Montgomery-Dudley Post No. 10, Wausau. He will be buried at Holyoke Cemetery, Holyoke, Minnesota on Wednesday, July 12, 2017 at 1:00 pm, where five generations of his family are buried. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations made in Jim's name to Helping Hands. Online donations may be made at www.helpinghands-jamaicakenya.org or to Helping Hands, 480 Artesian Way, Wausau, WI 54401, phone 715-842-4270. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com