Nikki Schellenberg

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With a ready smile and a welcoming heart, Nikki Schellenberg lived a life rich in family and friends. Nikki welcomed each day as a gift and every person she met as a friend. She listened with sincerity, saw the best in everyone, and made others feel that they were the most interesting person she had ever met. Open and honest, curious and skillful, intelligent and resourceful, Nikki was an eager lifelong learner who welcomed every opportunity to grow, learn from others' varying experiences, and strive to understand different perspectives. Her greatest joy was making meaningful memories with those she loved. A devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend, Nikki will long be remembered and missed by those who were blessed to know her.

1971 was a year of many exciting new possibilities; National Public Radio (NPR) broadcast for the first time, Walt Disney World Resort opened in Florida, and the 26th Amendment lowered the voting age to 18. Amtrak, Federal Express, and Greenpeace were founded in 1971, and with the invention of the Microprocessor, the year marked the start of the digital age we know today. Nowhere was there more hope for the future than in the home of Vincent and Margaret (Marquez) Dominguez as they welcomed their daughter, Nikki Ann, on January 4, in Los Angeles, California.

The oldest of three children, Nikki adored her younger brother and sister, Vincent and Sally. When she was young, the family moved to Brownsville, Texas, where she lived the rest of her school years and enjoyed being closer to her extended family. She was very close to her maternal grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Her grandmother cooked constantly to feed the large family and taught Nikki how to make the family's favorite authentic Mexican dishes. Though her father was a disciplinarian, which kept Nikki's jokester attitude in check, her passion for life, learning, and adventure was ever-present.

She loved to read and the gift of an expansive window to the world that books provided, especially fiction. Her favorite book of all time was To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. The book magnetically drew her into its mystery, uncovering truth and confronting injustice. As a student at Hanna High School, she played tennis and enjoyed an active social life, sharing good times with her many friends. While in high school, she played tennis while working a part-time job. Quick to make lifelong friends, during these years, she met a girl on a family trip to Hawaii who became a longtime friend.

After graduating with the class of 1989, Nikki continued her education in Brownsville. When her desire for independence grew, she left school and moved to California to forge her own path. She found work, unloading trucks at Walgreens, a pharmacy and convenience store. The hard physical labor quickly made school sound better, and she returned to Brownsville to pursue her degree.

In time, she was hired by Snoreguard in the sales department. It was her first real job and had her traveling all over the United States and exploring many new places. An eager learner, Nikki loved the job, the people she met, and everything she learned along the way. Nikki later worked for USAA for a while in the investment arm and also spent some time working in Austin, working for the speaker of the house. Her consistent gift for making friends wherever she met led to pen pals in Europe and countless friends made through her work.

After meeting and marrying Brian Hill, Nikki embraced motherhood when her two boys were born in addition to Alayah. Her children were the centers of her world, and she relished staying home with them for a few years while they were young. Though the marriage didn't last, Nikki was always grateful that it blessed them with children. When Nikki felt the call to teach, she returned to school and earned her teaching certificate. For a few years, she taught middle school and coordinated for students with special needs.

Following her divorce, Nikki met Paul Schellenberg through a casual introduction. Soon after, she welcomed the opportunity to travel to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where Paul lived, to scout for the charter school system she worked for, and met Paul in person. With their hearts committed to sharing the future, the happy couple married a year and a half later on January 20, 2010.

Nikki and Paul's blended family enjoyed spending time together, with memorable trips to Great Wolf Lodge, Disney, and many trips with Paul and her kids to Texas. Nikki and Paul also enjoyed time with friends and short trips when they could fit them into the schedule.

Once Nikki moved to Grand Rapids, her teaching certification didn't transfer, so she found work as an administrative assistant at the Grand Haven Police Department. A fast typist, well-spoken, and bilingual, Nikki was always versatile, picking up skills as needed and learning what was required to excel at her work. She then found work with Partners in School Innovation (PSI), coaching principals and training in systems to create great learning environments. Through her excellent work with PSI, Grand Rapids Public Schools took note of her and offered her the principalship at Dickinson Elementary. This job came with big challenges and a very diverse community. She also earned her second master's degree in educational leadership from Grand Valley State University during this time.

Though she excelled at every job she worked, Nikki's life passion was photography. Her love for photography began with her first camera when she was a kid, and once in Grand Rapids, she began developing a career. She started with wedding work, honing her craft while working full-time. She then realized that she preferred working with infants and toddlers, eventually developing her art and finding her niche with high school seniors. When she and Paul were blessed to welcome their daughter, Milana, into their family in 2016, Nikki left education to focus on her family and grow her photography business.

In 2018, the family moved to Texas to be near family, while keeping their home in Grand Rapids, where they frequently returned. Always a fun parent, Nikki was a good cook who never missed the opportunity to tell her kids, "I love you more!" And always looking for creative outlets, she desired to be published and wrote articles for the Alamo City Mom's Blog.

Sadly, at the end of 2020, Nikki was diagnosed with cancer, and over the last five years, she endured many treatments, a surgery, and clinical trials. Whether receiving good news or setbacks, hopes or frustrations, Nikki desired to keep things as normal as possible for the rest of the family. She always felt Texas was her home, and in her last months, she was able to make a couple of trips back, though it took a lot out of her. Though she desired one more trip, when she went into hospice care, instead of her traveling to Texas, her Texas family and friends flooded her with visits, providing the comfort and peace that they could give during her final days. Enveloped by those she loved most, Nikki passed away in her home on November 14.

Though our days with her were far too few, every moment spent with Nikki is a gift we will long treasure. As we celebrate her beautiful life, may we find great comfort in our many wonderful memories and in the honor of carrying forward her legacy of generous love. In each moment we greet a stranger as a friend, confidently face life's challenges, choose hope over fear, share our gifts in service of others, cheer on our loved ones' endeavors, welcome adventure and opportunities to learn and grow, and cherish time spent with our beloveds, we keep Nikki's memory alive and inspire others as she so inspired each of us.

Nikki Ann Schellenberg, age 54 of Grand Rapids, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on November 14, 2025. Nikki is survived by her husband, Paul; their daughter, Milana; her sons: Brian and Dylan Hill; step-children Elizabeth (Olli) Gardner, Jacob and Allison Schellenberg Alayah Benavidez; her mother, Margaret Dominguez; sister, Sally Dominguez; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Bob & Sue Schellenberg; sisters-in-law Monica Dominguez, Jean (Eric) Brandt; brother-in-law Tim (Kristina) Schellenberg; as well as nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Nikki was preceded in death by her father, Vincent Dominguez; and her brother, Vincent Dominguez.

The service to remember and celebrate Nikki's life will be held at 11 AM on Friday, November 21, 2025, at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel. Friends are invited to visit with her family on Thursday from 5-7 PM and on Friday beginning at 10 AM. For those who wish, memorial donations to Grand Rapids Christian School Association are appreciated. To read more about Nikki, to share a favorite photo or memory, or to sign her guestbook, visit www.heritagelifestory.com