Don Nies Celebrates 75 Years at The MAC

Don joined the Club on Feb. 26, 1948. He is only the second MAC Member to reach a 75th Club anniversary.

“It’s a marvelous Club and a great experience I’ve had throughout my life,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”

Throughout his time as a Member, Don has been extremely involved in Club life. Although he himself never ran for Club governance, he always helped others with their campaigns and worked on Club Election Day. For 52 years he played Gin Rummy on Tuesday evenings with a group of 15 MAC Members. Sometimes the games lasted late into the night. Now, he occasionally plays bridge on Tuesday evenings at the West Clubhouse. When it comes to sports, Don played handball, swam laps and, once MAC West opened, was a frequent tennis player. At 96 years old he still works out at West four times per week.

Four generations of the Nies family have been MAC Members. This tradition started with Don’s father, Adolph Peter Nies. In 1975 Don’s daughter Connie Nies Finger and her husband Jim Finger joined the Club and two of Don’s granddaughters, Julie Finger Fowler and Laura Poindexter, joined the Club along the way as well.

Don and his wife attended countless New Year’s Eve parties at the MAC, where men wore tuxedos, women wore ball gowns and the countdown to midnight was always televised.

He remembered those nights fondly saying, “Now that was a lot of fun!”

He and his four daughters also attended numerous Father-Daughter Dances.

Don’s daughter Connie married Jim Finger at the MAC in 1975 and four of his granddaughters had their weddings at the MAC in 2001, 2004, 2006 and 2009.

“It was always so beautiful,” Don said about the weddings he attended in the

Missouri Room.

His grandfather started their family printing business, Nies-Kaiser Printing Company. Don eventually became president of the company, which was later sold, and the name changed to Nies/Artcraft. The company printed the Cherry Diamond for 25 years.

Throughout Don’s 75-year membership, a lot has changed.

“It’s so much different than it was many years ago, especially in athletics with the swimming and the competitions,” he said.

Mr. Nies was honored with a luncheon on Monday, Feb. 6 in the Sportsman’s Club’s Hall of Fame room. Members of his family, MAC General Manager Wally Smith and Club President Brent Beumer among others were in attendance. Everyone enjoyed a delicious lunch and an indulgent chocolate cake.

“It worked out like a dream,” he said.