Nicolina Mae Foster

Nicolina (Nikki) Samela Foster was born in Waterbury Connecticut on November 24, 1939. Her Father William Samela and Mother Julia Mae Calderwood Samela moved the family to Tampa in 1953. Nikki attended Brewster Technical High School in Tampa where she met William Randolph Kirby. She and Randy would later marry and have 3 beautiful daughters. Nikki was a stay-at-home mom for many years until she went into the workforce and found her passion in politics and public service. Nikki worked as an executive assistant for a local state legislator and would later have a long career and retire from the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners. When asked what her favorite part of her job was, Nikki’s answer was always “working with constituents and making my boss shine.” Nikki loved helping those in need and utilized her position to help the most vulnerable. She was known to personally look in on her districts elderly constituents. Because of her reputation and willingness to help those in need she became well loved by many in the Tampa Bay community.

At the age of 37, Nikki was diagnosed with AML Leukemia and given a grim prognosis. She endured many chemotherapy treatments, but her deadly leukemia was relentless, and she found herself in the fight of her life. Nikki’s doctor Frank Lane of Tampa was one of a few doctors who knew of an experimental treatment called a bone marrow transplant. Very few places in the world were performing this experimental treatment and Nikki was blessed enough to have the option offered to her. This treatment would take her and many family members, including her sister Maureen Kasza (who would be her bone marrow donor) and her brother William (Bill) Samela (who was also a match) to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington. While there she endured many complications and was at the brink of death many times. Nikki completed her treatment and was sent home to Tampa to see if she would indeed survive. Survive she did but it was not an easy road. More complications followed but finally she miraculously began the long road to recovery.

Once Nikki was well enough to return to her career she was welcomed back with open arms. During this time Nikki started to rebuild her life. Years had passed and many things had changed since her diagnosis. Despite all her health issues, which included several major deadly complications from the transplant, she continued to survive and thrive.

In the years that followed Nikki worked, traveled and lived a happy and productive life. She lived to see her children, Kim, Traci and Julie grow up to have children and families of their own, giving her grandchildren and even great grandchildren whom she adored. She spent many happy occasions with her beloved family and friends. Because of all that she had been through, Nikki had greater faith in God and wanted to live life to its fullest.

Nikki was an independent woman and built her home in Lago Vista and enjoyed an active life with her friends in the neighborhood. “The gang” from the neighborhood would be her constant companions for more than 20 years. Nikki and her friends spent many happy times together, traveled and were there for each other through thick and thin.

To quote a caption from Nikki’s High School yearbook picture, she was a “friend to all”. That was Nikki. No one was beneath her as she saw everyone equally and would lend a helping hand to those in need. Nikki survived the un-survivable and became a beloved public servant despite everything she had been through. She smiled and never complained even on her darkest days. Nikki was a great inspiration to many and a beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt and friend. She will be missed, but we know she is renewed and with all who love her in the great beyond, dwelling in the sunlight and glory of our Lord.

Nikki is survived by her children: Kimberly Kay Kirby Galloway, Traci Lynn Kirby Welch, Julie Ann Kirby, grandchildren, Amanda Nicole Stokes Wade, Paul Timothy Galloway Jr., Howard Lucas Welch, Sean Owen Welch, great grandchildren: Rianne Elise Stokes, James Jacob Stokes, Alyssa Jade Edwards, Bryan Thomas Wade, Oliver Dewayne Wade, with knowledge of her great great granddaughter baby Ava Layne Crowe, (who is expected on March 24, 2023) siblings: Linda Lee Jackson, William E. Samela and many beloved nieces and nephews.