Gregory Thomas Nikiel

Gregory Nikiel passed away unexpectedly in his Tallahassee home from heart failure late on Friday, March 10th, 2023.
Greg was born in Buffalo, NY to Irene and Louis Nikiel. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Jerilyn, and an older brother and sister, nieces, nephews, and extended family. He also leaves behind many friends he cherished dearly. His family moved to Williamsville, NY when he was in grade school. He attended Bishop Neuman High School and later went on to SUNY at Buffalo, where he graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering.
After graduating from college, Greg literally shoveled his way out of Buffalo in mid-January, driving many hours straight to Los Angeles, CA as an F-15 RADAR tech. He eventually moved to Lancaster, CA and worked the swing shift at Edwards Air Force Base. From there, Greg moved to Berlin as a hardware engineer and troubleshooter when Berlin was still an occupied city in East Germany. Working abroad, destiny would lead him to meet his future wife, Jerilyn, a software engineer at Field Station Berlin, where they both supported the Department of Defense. They became engaged on one of their many trips to London and married in 1987 at St. Ludwigskirche in Berlin-Wilmersdorf.
From Germany, they moved to Honolulu, Hawaii where Greg worked at Field Station Kunia for a couple of years before returning to the mainland to live and work in Northern Virginia. Greg was passionate about project management and was a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). His job as a project scheduler and PMO lead brought them to Tallahassee, Florida, where they settled permanently.
Greg had the personality and natural charisma to make friends no matter the situation. Greg was a deeply compassionate, generous, caring person and a natural problem solver, greatly benefiting his friends and family. A man of true integrity, Greg's dedication to his work, and especially to his wife, Jerilyn, was unparalleled. The deep love between the two was always demonstrated, even when he was traveling for work. Every week he returned home from a business trip, he would bring a gift – some thoughtful token of his love for her.
Greg was a lifelong musician and an accomplished acoustic, electric, and lap steel guitar player. He loved the Blues, swing Jazz, and Classic Rock – and he was a master of those genres of music history. Greg was happiest when playing music, swimming, or enjoying the beauty of nature with his sweetheart, Jerilyn. Every year he planted a beautiful hummingbird and butterfly garden for Jerilyn that they enjoyed throughout the summer.
Friends and family will gather at Maclay Gardens on Sunday, April 16th, from 2-5pm to share stories and celebrate our love and friendship for Greg.
Jared Padgett of Bevis Funeral Home is assisting the family with their arrangements. (850-385-2193 or www.bevisfh.com)