Nikki Laine

Early Thursday morning, June 7, 2018, Nikki Laine passed away at Kindred Hospice in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She was able to spend her last few days with her immediate family lovingly by her side. Nikki was born in Ithaca, New York on February 25, 1935 to parents Earl Martin Hildebrand and Hazel Eichler Hildebrand, now both deceased. Her father was an academic and the family moved several times with his teaching and research assignments in New York, Florida and Texas. She had many of her fondest memories during her high school years in College Station, Texas where she attended high school. She was an accomplished pianist and enjoyed growing up with her older brother, John, and younger brother, Paul. She attended Texas Women’s College and the University of Texas in Austin where she graduated in 1956 with a degree in home economics. She had met her husband, Donald Francis Stump who attended St. Edward’s University in Austin. They had three children, Sheila Anne, Susan Marie, and Donald Earl. They moved to Houston in 1963 and Nikki raised her family there until 1985. Her husband passed away in 1978. Nikki moved to Albuquerque in 1987. Nikki worked most of her early career as a home economics teacher at St. Benedict’s and St. Agnes Academy in Houston. Later, she pursued a Master’s degree in counseling and spent the second part of her career as both a private practice therapist and a middle school guidance counselor for Albuquerque public schools. Throughout her life, her faith was a driving force in her life and she was always engaged in the religious life of the community. In Albuquerque, she was a long-term congregant at Immanuel Presbyterian Church and was actively engaged in the service work of the church and chaired the facilities committee. In the last few years of her life, she attended St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral. Always creative, Nikki made jewelry and greeting cards. Her lifelong passion was food, and she was an accomplished cook and baker. All who knew her can vouch for sitting at her table and enjoying a gourmet meal or a care package of delicious baked goods. She also expressed her creativity through sewing and knitting, and all who were part of her life have a sweater, table runner, quilt, or pillows that she lovingly made. Nikki is survived by her daughter, Sheila Elwell of Houston and her granddaughter, Elizabeth LinleyElwell (Jennifer LinleyElwell and great grandson, Gavin); her son Donald Stump of Coronado, California and his wife, Sarah, and grandchildren Andrew (San Diego, California) and Hannah (San Jose, Costa Rica); her brother John Hildebrand (Rebecca) of Flagstaff, Arizona; and her brother, Paul Hildebrand (Becky) of Gig Harbor, Washington. Her family wishes to thank the wonderful medical staff at Lovelace Hospital who helped her over the last year, the staff at Kindred Hospice who gently cared for us in her last days, the staff at Atria Vista del Rio who helped us help her to be as independent as possible, and to all of Nikki’s loving friends and family who gave of themselves and their time to make her last year the happiest it could be. Her memorial service will be held at Immanuel Presbyterian Church on Saturday, June 23, 2018 at 2:00 pm with a gathering to follow at the church.