Raymond Nihlean Obituary

Raymond was my building manager from 2002 to 2007. I always remember, when I was signing my lease, he pulled out an old, blackened and burnt pizza from a cabinet as he went through his schpiel about being a good, responsible tenant. Several times throughout those years he would talk to me in the hallways or have me sit downstairs and chat for a bit. Always with that tone of a father figure who treated you like an equal, and I always appreciated that. I was young and living on my own then and that had a huge impact on my life at the time. When I'd moved on to new locations he twice assisted me with roaring recommendations to those other landlords calling for a reference. I happened to find his business card when going through old boxes of papers and looked him up only to discover he had passed. We really did not know each other at all, outside of those years when I lived in that particular building, but he was always a memorable man to me, and it seems a person who had a positive effect on many lives.

I was a teacher of Ray's at Sandburg and just yesterday heard of his death. I think I am still in disbelief that such a vibrant man could be gone so soon. I remember many things about Ray but none more than his winning smile and his eternal optimism. I live close to the home where he grew up and would see him in the neighborhood cutting grass during his grass cutting business stage. He would always stop by to say "Hi" and that was so Ray.
I am beyond sorry for your loss as the world has lost one of the good ones. He enriched our lives and for that I am grateful.

Candy Cotter

Raymond took care of everything for my aunt, and that is how I got to know Raymond. He was so wonderful with my aunt, and also with me during my aunt's life and after her death. He was the most caring, gentle man. I never got to see him anymore after 2016 and I was hoping to see him again next year. I will miss him.

Dear Tina & family, It's so heartbreaking to you, your family, and all of us that Raymond has passed after such a valent fight with such a cruel illness. I'm a survivor of only 50% who makes an eclipsed life, and I shared that with him. Our staff enjoyed a long relationship with the Travlos and Windell property managers. It was a remarkable story when Raymond asked you to marry him because we knew you both as professionals focused on community, safe and affordable housing. You met in the field of your passions, unlike today on the internet. Raymond was so handsome a gentleman. You still so beautiful inside and out. It's truly a love story. We will never forget Raymond he inspires us Tina. Andrea Raila & Staff

As one of Ray´s tenants for many years, I´m not surprised to discover he was such a good Samaritan and so involved in the community. He really cared about the people in his buildings and was always on top of things. With his smile and sense of humor, he put you in a better mood just by running into him.

Throughout his six year and three month survival with brain cancer, Raymond never lost his humor, his optimism, or his zest for life. "Every day is precious, each moment was the only moment we were sure that we had", said Tina. "In the hospital, we created our own world with natural sounds of birds singing and falling water. The smell of lilies would fill the room. We were content. Patient through the pain and the healing process, attentive to the details, giving and receiving kindness, hopeful. The Zen like quality, peacefulness and good will was conducive to healing for everyone entering the room. And after 21 years of marriage, Raymond´s devotion to his wife Tina, never dimmed. They spoke to the beauty in one another. On his final day, he and Tina were looking out of his hospital window at the place by the Lake where he proposed so many years ago. Then, with a smile on his face, he took his last breath. Raymond freely shared his love and his time with all who knew him. His laughter, and generous spirit will always fill our hearts.

To Dr. Jeffrey Raizer, neuro oncologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, "Raymond was indeed an inspirational person who fought hard against his GBM and by all measures Raymond had a wonderful life up until his passing".

Raymond´s bravery inspired his medical team. "I will always use Ray as an example to my staff and patients what support and advocacy can do," remembers Dr. Samman Shahpar, Shirley Ryan Ability Lab. He further remarked at an international symposium, "Put aside whatever you know about brain injuries, because there is Raymond."

A lasting tribute to Raymond´s love for his community is the beautiful mosaic `bricolage´ at the gateway to the Bryn Mawr Historic District. He brought the student artists lunches and treats, as well as donating money and materials. Raymond and Tina´s wedding photo is memorialized in the art wall too, forever sharing their joy and love.

Raymond was a philanthropist who continued to provide resources to help other entrepreneurs flourish, including the Edgewater Uptown Builders Association (EUBA) and other community organizations. "Raymond was always generous with his time and resources and always knowing when and how to pitch in to fill a need. He personally provided and engineered state-of-the-art sound and visual equipment to help people communicate more effectively. Raymond is a one of a kind. Truly a prince of a man." added Jim Byrne, past EUBA president.

Former Alderman Mary Ann Smith recalls that "Raymond´s $35,000 donation was the lynch pin that got city funding for Northwestern University´s Kellogg School of Management training program. It was attended by local business owners who wanted to take their company to the next level."

His devoted wife Tina remembers how excited Raymond was when heavy snow fell. He had such fun riding his red ATV snowplow over two miles of sidewalks and alleys so neighbors could safely reach shops and public transit. "I always heard from neighbors how much they loved Raymond. Some didn´t know his name, but they loved him because he plowed their sidewalks. They never asked, he was just always there with love and joy in his heart," according to former State Representative Carol Ronen. For fifteen years, he was a familiar early morning good Samaritan.

"Imagine you´re at a restaurant and start singing happy birthday to your daughter. From across the room an energetic man with a booming voice and a gentle smile stands up and joins in. He´s much louder than anyone else, with energy and body language that take over, inspiring everyone in the restaurant to join in. Your daughter will never forget the joy of that moment, and neither will you. The man who created that moment was Raymond," remembered cousin Sim from years of family gatherings.

In classic Raymond fashion, when a teenager threw a rock that dented his classic 1975 Lincoln Town car, he called the school instead of the police, and when Raymond learned the boy had a court date, he accompanied him. With such support, the young man received probation instead of a sentence. Always sensitive to youth needs, Raymond mentored many young people sparking their creativity, building self-confidence, and making them laugh. At neighborhood events, kids and grown-ups alike delighted in his convertible King Midget, a tiny red racing car with headlights that squirted water.

Raymond Nihlean believed in the goodness of every person, and the Edgewater community is so much the better for it. When you heard his contagious laugh, you knew his generous spirit would soon fill the room. His efforts resulted in tangible improvements in people´s lives across every generation and background. `Raymond was a landlord with heart,´ said community activist, Clare Tobin. `He helped residents thru the pandemic. He and his team connected renters with programs such as rent grants and resources for food." For one elderly tenant in particular, after finding supportive senior housing and 24/7 caregivers, Raymond even made funeral arrangements with her pastor.