Nicolette "Nicki" J. Boodey, of Mount Dora, Florida passed on Tuesday
December 3rd, 2024, just 4 months shy of her 75th birthday. Seven months
prior she was diagnosed with terminal stage four cancer. She made the
tough decision to forgo chemotherapy and instead bravely chose to live her
best life possible with the time remaining. She felt healthy and was in good
spirits up to the very end, often saying she thought the diagnosis was simply
wrong.

Nicki was born in Mansfield, Ohio on April 3rd 1950, to Joseph and Martha
Wilhelm. During her youth she lived with her parents and siblings on the
same street as her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and many cousins spending
countless hours with them. Later in her early teens, moving to the
countryside of Lexington, Ohio with her immediate family, she fulfilled her
life-long dream of owning and riding horses. With her adventurous spirit, she
could often be found riding her horse bareback through the surrounding
properties. She attended Lexington High School and played the accordion
for fun. Nicki majored in Education at Ohio State University, where she met
and fell in love with her husband David. During college she enjoyed
swimming, ice skating, riding bikes, dancing at night clubs, and even sewing
her own clothes. After graduating in 1972 the young couple married at
Nicki's family home in Lexington, Ohio and moved to Bay City, Michigan
where she started her teaching career. Together in their free time they
tackled the renovation of a hundred-year-old farmhouse in Zilwaukee,
Michigan, and later moved to Midland, Michigan. In 1979, David's career
took them to Lake Villa, Illinois, where they designed and built their dream
home in 1983, living there until 2015.

As an elementary teacher, reading specialist and later principal with two
master's degrees, (Reading Specialist and Education Administration), Nicki
positively impacted thousands of children's lives during her 30-year career in
the Big Hollow and Round Lake school districts of Illinois. In the summer she
taught teachers to become better at their craft through the Bridges State
summer school program as a professional development provider (PDP). Her
ambition, zest and drive for teaching was an inspiration to those around her
to do their very best. In 2007 she retired from the school system and
became a director for National Teachers Education College (NTEC) helping
individuals entering the field of education. Never one to sit idle, she added
the title of adjunct professor to her repertoire while working for Quincy
University and Rockford College. Nicki finally officially retired after working
for a few years with Scholastic traveling to Detroit assisting teachers who
taught under privileged children.

Always following her dreams with a can-do attitude, in the mid 1980's Nicki
took a few years sabbatical from teaching and opened her own children's
clothing store in Antioch, Illinois called "Cherished Children". She would
travel to the Chicago Merchandising Mart to select her favorite boutique
clothing. Outside of teaching she loved home renovation projects,
decorating for every possible season and holiday, traveling, crafting,
puzzling, swimming, sailing, and enjoyed spending time with her friends and
family. She was a true, kind, and genuine friend who could always be
counted on to lend a helping hand and a listening ear. While no longer
surrounded by the large family of her youth, her Illinois and Michigan friends
quickly became her lifelong family. Her bright smile, big laugh, and generous
caring heart will be deeply missed.

Nicki was preceded in death by her parents Joseph and Martha Wilhelm, and
two sisters Judi Balyeat and Nancy Koon. She is survived by her husband of
52 years David Boodey, two daughters Erin Boodey and Amber (formerly
Gnann) Perretti, her son-in-law Robert Perretti, and her beloved grandson
Trenton Gnann.

Nicki requested that there be no services and asked for any donations to be
sent to St. Jude's Children's Hospital in lieu of flowers. As she neared the
end, she shared her parting advice with daughters, encouraging them to
"just breathe". Wise words from a loving and generous soul who gave so
much to so many. The family would appreciate you sharing a memory or
story of how Nicki impacted your life in the online guest book below.