Edhat Staff
By edhat staff
Family and friends are remembering the pilot who died in a plane crash off the coast of Goleta in September.
Debra Sue Nicholson passed away on September 27th when her Cessna T182T entered a rapid descent at 7:03 a.m and crashed into the ocean off Goleta Beach. On October 1st, 61-year-old Nicholson and the airplane were located and recovered.
Described as having an infectious happy spirit and high-wattage energy, Nicholson was said to have a tremendous sense of fun and was loved by many, according to her obituary.
She began her career practicing tax law in San Francisco and went on to have her own estate planning law practice in Tahoe City. She was also the secretary/treasurer of the Tahoe Truckee Bar Association, judge pro tem for the Placer and Nevada Counties Courts system, and a newly appointed member of the Truckee Tahoe Airport Advisory Committee.
Debra Sue Nicholson (courtesy photo)
“Debbie worked incredibly hard so that she could play even harder, and she became a pilot and loved flying her plane because it gave her the ability to accomplish a multitude of projects and activities,” the obituary stated, “She took on each day with purpose, gusto and razor-sharp focus whether it was flying to Utah for mountain biking, Sun Valley for skiing or Los Angeles and Phoenix for business and visiting family and friends.”
Nicholson is survived by her two sons, Bob and Will, her mother Marilyn and siblings Diane and Bob.
“Debbie’s passing leaves a big hole in a lot of people’s lives but we know she would have wanted all of her friends and loved ones to live life like she did, with passion and energy and a commitment to positivity that will honor her incredible life,” read the obituary.
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