Nicole looked at her brother, Christian, after a two week stint in the hospital and said “time to get the hell out of dodge.” Even in her last days, Nicole clung to her razor-sharp wit and relentlessly urged us to smuggle her Arnold Palmers against the doctors orders (we remained rock-solid, we swear).

Candidly, there is no easy way to talk about the untimely death of a beloved daughter, niece, sister, aunt, and friend. In mid-July, Nicole received the diagnosis of stage 4 pancreatic cancer, which she was at an increased risk of due to her BRCA diagnosis.

As a child she embraced cold New England winters, survived Chris’s teddy bear ambushes and a now infamous hair cutting incident resulting in a lopsided braid. At 5 years old she bestowed herself a middle name, George (yes like the monkey), as an act of self-branding since Paulette and Ted missed the middle name memo amid the smokey haze of the late 60’s. DIY was the family motto, and she continued this tradition throughout her life. From taking on master seamstress endeavors to baking, and demolition projects, she had a deeply rooted sense of self reliance, and the tool box to match it, whether it be life or work.

Nicole had a love for good manicures, humor, and appetizers. Among the many things we miss about Nicole will be her incredible talent for throwing an office costume party. Our top three favorite costumes (in no particular order) are: the vegas lady in velour, ursula (re: 1990’s and 2020’s additions), and of course THE Barefoot Contessa, also known as Ina Garten (also the author of 15 cookbooks which Nicole owned all of). Other notable costume endeavors include Syd's first crab costume.

Nicole was a dedicated aunty giving doll makeovers and saving Chance's biology grade – which is practically scientific heroism. She was a steadfast and loyal sister who always supported and indulged her idea-a-minute brother, as well caring niece, daughter, granddaughter, and cousin. Hailing from a lineage of exceptionally strong women with extremely thick hair, she stepped into the role as the keeper of the family lineage.

After the passing of her mother, Paulette, Nicole took on the nurturing role of supporting the well being of her 95 year old grandmother, Memere (aka Lorette). With cross country visit, family vacations, daily phone calls, and endless deliveries from amazon, Nicole supported Memere until her passing in February 2023.

As a child she loved the vacations and adventures Memere and Pepe took her, Chris and the cousins on, and she generously continued the tradition with beach vacations where all were included. Nicole loved family stories, she recognized and celebrated the uniqueness in all of us.

For Nicole, family didn’t start and stop at lineage, her definition extended far beyond those she shared blood with. She made everyone she took a liking to a part of her inner circle, and this meant you were gifted a unique festivus present that matched your personality, invited to a Gladu Shrimp Fest, or included in a quest for amazing dumplings. So long as you weren't tapping your foot or drumming with your hands (cue her patience countdown) Nicole was a gracious friend. She connected our family to many wonderful people from her days at Wheaton College and Tilton to her three decade career in health and safety.

Nicole was deeply committed to advocating for workers' rights. Throughout the span of her career, she dedicated herself to shielding workers from asbestos exposure and other hazardous construction materials leaving a lasting impact on the regional and national hazmat industry. This led to the coining of one of her catch phrases “trust me, you don’t want to know what’s in those walls.” As well as her signature outfit: a pair of Xtra Tuffs and a hard hat. Beyond being an impressive individual at work with a mile long list of certifications and achievements, she was also a caring mentor to many coworkers over the years.

Nicole George Gladu is etched in our memory for her brilliance, kindness, dedication to workers safety, and cunning wit. Nicole’s absence has a tremendous presence in our daily lives, but we continue to feel close to her through listening to the stories friends and family have shared. When we talk about the people we love we extend their stay in our heart. Please share your favorite memories of Nicole so we can continue to get to know the many rich and wonderful pockets of her life. 

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