Nicholas "Nick" Charles Wahlberg 71 of the Hillsboro community died on Wednesday, December 5, 2012, due to a rare cancer.

Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be said at 10:30 am on Wednesday; December 12, 2012 at the Visitation Catholic Church; 4285 NW Visitation Rd in Verboort, OR.

A Funeral Mass will follow at 11:00 am.

Family and friends are invited to attend a reception following the Mass held in the parish hall.

Rite of Christian Burial will be held at 2:30 pm at Visitation Cemetery.

Nick was born on June 5, 1941 in Portland, OR. He was one of five children born to Charles and Margaret (Mudgett) Wahlberg. He was raised in Hillsboro and attended St Matthew’s Grade School. He attended his first three years of high school at the Mt Angel Seminary in Mt Angel. Nick completed his senior year at Central Catholic High School graduating with the Class of 1959. He then attended University of Portland for three years studying Landscape architect & design.

He met his future wife, Joanne M. Ringsleben while attending a Labor Day church picnic in Portland. They soon began dating and where married on May 14, 1966 at St Clare’s Catholic Church in Portland, OR. Following their marriage they made their home in Newberg for a short while until they moved to Beaverton in 1967. In 1970 they moved near his parent’s home in Hillsboro. When his mother died, he added an apartment to his home for his father to live in, taking care of him for the next 20 years until his dad died. In 2001 they moved into their current home also in Hillsboro.

Nick was a firefighter working for the City of Portland, Engine #18 Station on Barbur Blvd and often said it was the best career anyone could have. He retired on May 15, 1993 after serving 28 1/2 years. Nick also would work part time as a landscaper, landscape designer and also worked as remodeler .

One of his hobbies was to repair and restore antique clocks, which he was a natural at doing. He enjoyed repairing old or damaged items and returning them to their former beauty. After a fire at the Center of Peace in Beaverton, he repaired and painted the statue of the Infant of Prague for them. He finished painting his garden statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary just one week before he passed away.

Nick was a loving father who was devoted to his children, of whom he had great pride, and his greatest joy was spending time with his 26 grandchildren whom he adored and bragged about. It is said that a child’s perception of God is formed in part by their relationship with their Dad. The Bible says our Heavenly Father is slow to anger and rich in kindness (Psalm 145:8), and Nick emulated this as a father to his children. He loved his children and set an example for them of what it means to be a man.

He enjoyed fishing, hunting and loved the outdoors. He was an avid golfer and would very much enjoyed working in his yard and garden. He also enjoyed hunting, boating and fishing, and after retirement, became an avid reader. Nick was persistent in completing the crossword puzzles in the daily Oregonian. He loved the Oregon coast, taking long walks on the beach and exploring new places. He enjoyed traveling with his wife and especially going on cruises.

Nicholas was a man of deep faith with a great devotion to Our Blessed Mother, said the rosary daily and tried to attend daily Mass as often as he could. He was easy going, with a good sense of humor, truly enjoyed people, was easy to get along with and had a deep affection for his firefighter 'family' . He was generous and always willing to help others.

He is preceded in death by his parents and a grandson; Isiah Wahlberg and a nephew, Philip Wahlberg.

Survivors include his loving wife of 46 years, Joanne, eight children and their spouses: Daughter, Brenda and Joe VanDyke of Hillsboro; Son, Mark Wahlberg of Aloha; Daughter, Soolynn and Tabon Chang of West Linn; Son, Christopher and Tracie Wahlberg of Hillsboro; Daughter, Kimberly and Steven Kondroik of Baton Rouge, LA; Daughter, Melinda and Stuart Wilson of Helvetia; Daughter, Theresa and Kris Greninger of Hillsboro; Son, Jeff and Amanda Wahlberg of Milwaukie, and 26 grandchildren. Survivors also include four siblings: Sandra Schoening of Corvallis; Tim Wahlberg of McMinnville; Tony Wahlberg of Bend; and Mardell Williams of Cornelius and many nieces and nephews.