Nickolette Patricia Williams fought the good fight against cancer for more than a year, finally relenting on her own terms, when she passed away peacefully on June 23, 2011 surrounded by family and friends.

Know by all as Nicki, she was born June 18, 1947 to proud parents Eileen and Roland Schindler of Dayton, Ohio. She had one brother, Eric, also known in his youth as Butch.

Nicki attended St. Agnes as a child, graduated from St. Joseph in 1965, and attended the University of Dayton where she earned a bachelor’s degree in 1969. Nicki was a Flyerette for the University of Dayton’s basketball team and a member of the UD Flying Club, where she earned her private pilot’s license.

She met Thomas. E. Williams while working as a secretary at the Dayton International Airport where he was employed as a flight instructor. After a whirlwind romance, Tom and Nicki were married on September 24, 1969. They welcomed their first child, Michelle, in April, 1970. They moved several times in the first years of their marriage including time in Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia. In 1973, they finally settled back in Union, Ohio in a starter home on Applegate Road. Shortly after arriving there, they welcomed their second daughter, Tasha, in April, 1973.

In 1977, Tom and Nicki built a house on a vacant lot in Clayton, Ohio. Their youngest daughter, Amanda was born shortly after the house was completed in October, 1977. This home became the epicenter in the lives of all of their daughters and grandchildren for the next three decades.

Age age 60, Nicki finished her first full marathon with Team in Training, a fund raising foundation for cancer research. She then joined Miles That Matter, a group also involved in raising funds for many different charities. She found great joy in the countless miles of walking with wonderful friends. In addition to being a master organic gardener, she also enjoyed playing golf, wine tasting, and the pursuit of the perfect margarita recipe.

Just about one month before she passed, she told a friend she wanted to complete one more race—she wanted to cross the finish line one more time. With the friends of her Miles That Matter team, she was pushed in her wheel chair in That Day In May 5K. Just before the finish line, with again the help of her Miles That Matter team, she stood up and crossed the finish line.

It was at the end of this 5K race where Miles That Matters Karen Cosgrove announced to Nicki, her family and her teammates that the Boas From Nicki Project would be an initiative to help benefit women who cannot afford early detection and medical testing. Nicki was truly honored by the idea of this foundation as we were truly honored to be a part of her life.