Nicholas (Nick) Oppermann

Instrument(s): Banjo/guitar
Hometown: Saginaw, Michigan
Member since:  1970

Nick was a founding member of the band, and a founder and member of the Celebration Road Show, an early offshoot of the NRB that toured the USA in the mid-70s.  He started performing in the 1960s as a folk singer and played the major folk clubs and coffeehouses in the midwest.

When not touring with the New Ref, Nick was a freelance writer, photographer, and public relations consultant.  He also wrote a popular newspaper column called Circling the Drain.  In the warmer months, Nick could usually be found aboard Festaurus, his Great Lakes sailboat.

UPDATE

Nick passed away peacefully Friday, November 7, 2014, at the age of 71.

He was born March 5, 1943, to the late Peters and Martha (Smith) Oppermann.

He graduated from Arthur Hill High School in 1961 and later from Northern Michigan University.

He served with the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.

Nick was a founding member (along with his brother, Dave) and lead vocalist of the New Reformation Band.

He used his considerable creative talents for Ross Roy Advertising, Parker, Willox, and Fairchild, The Sam Britton Organization, and McCann-Erickson. He was also the Executive Director of the Saginaw Bay Orchestra, Director of Public Relations and Instructor at Northwood University; and editor of the Township Times.

He was a member of Lambda Sigma Fraternity and enjoyed reading, sailing, photography and writing.

He is survived by his son, Robert P. Oppermann, Ann Arbor; his brother, David Oppermann, Saginaw; one nephew and two nieces and their spouses, Jeff (Barb) Oppermann, Saginaw; Darby Ryon, Chicago; Jennifer (Doug) Dickerson, Chicago; several grandnieces and grandnephews, Sean, Libby, Kiera, Ryan, Jane, Hannah, Casey and Andrew; his former wife, Alice (Sis) Houlihan; his stepson, Stefan Markey; and his best friend, Noggin.