Doris Nikolaidis

Doris Nikolaidis was born on June 12, 1945 in Hamburg, Germany as the fourth of five children. She grew up in a loving family, with four brothers who affectionately called her “Pueppchen” (little doll).
Doris had always wanted to see the world, and in 1965 she came to the United States as an au pair. Soon she decided to strike out on an adventure to see more of the country, hitchhiking from Connecticut to San Francisco, where she worked as a receptionist and accountant in a medical office. In San Francisco, she met Nick, whom she married on July 3, 1971. Doris and Nick moved to Union City, where they welcomed their daughter Natasha in 1974.
Their marriage was full of laughter and joking, and Doris was not above an occasional prank. When she was upset that Nick never noticed when she got a new haircut, she asked her stylist to dye her hair bright pink. There were arguments, but always a deep and abiding love that shone through every day.
The most dangerous thing anyone could say to her was “You wouldn’t do that”. She considered it the ultimate challenge, and would always follow through, including one memorable occasion on which she dragged a garden hose into a carpeted living room to soak her daughter.
Doris was a second mom to many of the children in the neighborhood and the Greek community and enjoyed hosting friends and family. Among her daughter’s high school and college friends she was affectionately known as “The Toothbrush Fairy” for her ever-ready stash of supplies for impromptu sleepovers.
She was an adventurous spirit and loved to travel, hike, and spend time outdoors, whether in a National Park or tending her rose garden at home. Anyone celebrating a birthday or wedding could be sure to find a few freshly cut flowers from her garden decorating their present.
In 1987 she decided to return to school, eventually earning an Associate’s Degree in computer programming from Chabot College. She returned to the workforce as a temporary secretary at Lucas NovaSensor in 1993, where she was soon hired permanently, put her accounting skills and newly gained programming skills to good use, and rose to become the firm’s office manager before her retirement in 2003.
After her retirement, she indulged her love for travel, spending time with Nick in Alaska, Hawaii, exploring the Greek islands, and visiting the historic cities of Europe on a Danube River cruise. The Hawaiian Islands and Yellowstone National Park were two of her favorite places to visit again and again. She also enjoyed spending time at home in her garden and visiting with friends. She loved visits from her grandchildren, whom she affectionately called “my little guys”.
She enjoyed photography and writing, compiling slide shows chronicling the stories of her travels with Nick and their family and friends. She was a member of the California Writers Guild and the Pen Women of America. Her essays were published in local papers, and she self-published a book of autobiographical short stories (Don’t Eat the Flowers), with tales of her life growing up in Germany, her move to America, and her family.
Doris was preceded in death by her parents, Friedrich and Minna (Withoeft) Meyerhoff, and her brothers Wilfried, Peter, and Dietrich. She leaves behind her brother Herwig, husband Nick, daughter Natasha, son-in-law Nate, and two grandchildren, Evan and Alex.