Nicole Kouhi Podkowa, 42, of Marion died peacefully on Monday, May 16, 2016, at her home with her family at her side. Nicole was the loving wife of Dr. John J. Podkowa, Jr, her husband of 16 years, and devoted mother of Redmond and John Joseph (JJ). Born in Bristol, PA, to Fred A. and Judith A. (Stetser) Kouhi, Nicole was raised in Yardley, PA, and lived in Marion since 2009. Nicole and her family summered on Long Beach Island, NJ, since she was child. It was on LBI that Nicole met her future husband John when they both were children.
Nicole received her BS from James Madison University, VA, and her MBA in Finance from Rutgers University, Newark, NJ. She specialized in sales finance, most recently with Ocean Spray in Lakeville, MA. There she greatly enjoyed her warm colleagues, who supported her throughout the final stages of her illness. Previously, she was employed by Campbell’s Soup and Kraft Foods.
Nicole’s greatest pleasure was spending time and vacations with her husband, two sons, and family. She was an avid supporter of her sons’ activities at Friends Academy, Dartmouth, and in their town sports. She enjoyed boating with her father on Marco Island, sharing family recipes with her mother, spending time at the beach, and running. Nicole was a communicant of St. Rita’s Church in Marion.
In addition to her husband and sons of Marion, and her parents of Marco Island, FL, Nicole is survived by her siblings Karen (Tim) Cook of Portland, OR; Michael Kouhi of Cherry Hill, NJ; and Roger (Helen) Kouhi of Arnold, MD; 8 nieces and a nephew; and loving aunts, uncles and cousins. She is also survived by her in-laws, who have known her since her childhoood, James and Joan Podkowa Whitson of Roseland, NJ, and brother-in-law David (Nastaran) Whitson of Hawthorne, NJ; a host of caring neighbors, friends, especially Grace and Maria; and her beloved yellow Lab Teddy.
Her Funeral will be held on Friday, May 20th at 9 AM from the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home For Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6) Mattapoisett, followed by her Funeral Mass at St. Anthony’s Church, 22 Barstow Street,Mattapoisett at 10 AM. Burial in New Jersey will be private. Visiting hours will be on Thursday from 4-8 PM. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Southcoast Centers for Cancer Care, 206 Mill Rd., Fairhaven, MA 02719 or Dana-Farber Cancer Institute c/o Susan F. Smith Center For Women’s Cancers, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.