Nicole Kouhi Podkowa, 42, of Marion died peacefully on May 16 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 the devoted mother of Redmond and John Joseph (JJ). Born in Bristol, Pennsylvania to Fred A. and Judith A. (Stetser) Kouhi, Nicole was raised in Yardley, Pennsylvania and lived in Marion since 2009. Nicole and her family summered on Long Beach Island, New Jersey, 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, Virginia, and her MBA in Finance from Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey. She specialized in sales finance, most recently with Ocean Spray in Lakeville. 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 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, sons and parents, Nicole is survived by her siblings Karen (Tim) Cook of Portland, Oregon; Michael Kouhi of Cherry Hill, New Jersey; and Roger (Helen) Kouhi of Arnold, Maryland; 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 childhood, James and Joan Podkowa Whitson of Roseland, New Jersey, and brother-in-law David (Nastaran) Whitson of Hawthorne, New Jersey; a host of caring neighbors, friends, especially Grace and Maria; and her beloved yellow Lab Teddy.

Her funeral will be held on Friday, May 20 at 9 a.m. 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 St., Mattapoisett at 10 a.m. Burial in New Jersey will be private.

Visiting hours will be on Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. 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.