William "Bill" Nicodemus

William Edward Nicodemus (known to most as Bill, to his sister and his parents as Billy) died on August 19, 2024, after succumbing to the effects of lung disease. Bill was born in Teaneck, NJ, on November 21, 1944, to William and Jennie (née Golden) Nicodemus. He grew up in Dumont and graduated from Dumont High School in 1962. He attended Northeast Missouri State University in Kirksville, Missouri, where he received a degree in business administration. His most important collegiate achievement, however, was meeting Karen, the love of his life. He won her over with his exotic New Jersey accent and his urbane sense of humor, including winners such as, “How do you keep an elephant from charging? Take away his credit card!”

Bill and Karen were married on August 29, 1970, had two children, Ted and Amy, in the years that followed, and settled down in Bergenfield. Bill was an active member of the community, helping out with many of his children’s pursuits and interests—from school projects, to starting a girls soccer league, and even waiting in line for hours to buy Michael Jackson concert tickets. He was also deeply involved in St. John’s Catholic Church, serving as an usher, the director of Cornerstone, a spiritual retreat program, and volunteering at the annual church carnival, among other roles.

Outside of his family and church, Bill volunteered at the Bergen County homeless shelter, sleeping there overnight as a chaperone, and was a friend to the Bergenfield Department of Public Works, greeting the guys who picked up his garbage with ice water on hot summer days. He also loved to garden, tending not only to his own backyard but also taking care of a traffic circle on his street. He served as a trustee for the Greenbrook Nature Center and was President of the Dumont Jaycees.

Bill liked to travel and visited many countries. He enjoyed jogging (and completed one NYC marathon), tennis, skiing, walking, and riding his bicycle, and even picked up pickleball later in life. He was a long-suffering Jets fan (J-E-T-S!) until the end of his life, despite their ever-losing record, but had more luck supporting the Yankees.

From 1970 until 1976, Bill served his country in the Army National Guard. He earned commendation as an M-16 rifle sharpshooter. He proudly put out the American flag at his house every morning and made sure his neighborhood traffic circle was decorated for holidays honoring America.

Bill worked for Consolidated Edison for 41 years, starting after he graduated from high school. When he returned to New Jersey after his Midwestern sojourn, he went back to ConEd and worked in many areas, most notably as an energy conservation consultant in the Chrysler Building. His children still proudly recall watching his interviews on TV advising New Yorkers how to save energy and money. In retirement, he worked as a crossing guard in Tenafly. Despite never carrying a cell phone—even though he owned one for many years—he was once able to thwart an ongoing car break-in by borrowing a phone from a passing parent.

Bill was the rock of his family and faced this awful disease in the same way that he dealt with all of life’s challenges—with patience, grace, and finally, selfless acceptance. Bill always put others before himself and represented the best of us. He was, quite simply, a good person.

Bill is survived by his wife of almost 54 years, Karen, his son Ted (and daughter-in-law Jenny), daughter Amy (and son-in-law Christopher), his grandchildren Will, Caroline, and Eliot, his sister Joan Rottkamp, her husband Bert, and his beloved nieces and their families, relatives, and friends who he considered as part of his family.

He was preceded in death by his father and his mother.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the American Lung Association in Bill’s memory.