ORANGEVILLE - Those who knew him, and there were plenty, know that Richard Nicodemus died doing what he loved.
Nicodemus, an avid cyclist, was out for a bike ride on January 10, 2011, when he fatally struck a flatbed truck at the intersection of Rock Grove and Henderson Roads, just outside Orangeville. Now, six months later, Nicodemus is being remembered and honored for his contributions to the close-knit cycling community, and to the area bike trails he loved.
At 10 a.m. Saturday, the Northwest Illinois Trail Foundation and the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois - along with Nicodemus' wife, Janis and son, Keith - will gather to dedicate the Richard Nicodemus Memorial Bridge, 100 yards south of the intersection of High Street and the Jane Addams Trail in Orangeville, near the Jane Addams Trailhead.
As part of the ceremony, Keith is even planning to ride one of his father's beloved bikes, Janis said. Saturday's event is likely to be an emotional one for those who still miss him.
"Number one, he never had a harsh word to say," said Tyger Johnson, who knew Richard for seven years, forging a friendship riding bikes together. "He was the best friend you could ever have."
Planning the memorial began not long after Richard died, when Janis Nicodemus says she was still grieving. Eventually, she came up with the idea of a dedication of part of the trail, and managed to raise $1,000 toward the effort while holding memorials in Richard's memory.
To get her project going, Janis said she worked with John Buford of Orangeville and several organizations, including the Jane Addams Trail Commission, Northwest Illinois Trail Foundation, and Community Foundation of Northern Illinois.
The money raised by Nicodemus will be donated to JATC and NWITF for operational maintenance of the 12.5 mile trail, Buford said, adding that the cost of the plaque in Richard's honor was an additional $150.
Richard usually rode the trail daily, Janis said, adding that the exercise helped keep her husband's diabetes and high blood pressure in check.
But riding was not his only passion. Family was another.
The couple, who married when they were 18, would have celebrated their 48th anniversary this August. They had two sons and a daughter together, with five grandchildren.
"He was a loving husband and father," Nicodemus said. "He loved his kids, and spending time with his grandchildren."
As part of the event, friends, family and fellow riders can join an informal ride from the Orangeville Trailhead to Monroe, stopping for lunch at Culver's in Monroe before noon. Those planning to ride to Monroe must have a Wisconsin Trail Pass, and can buy one at the BOCO Station in Orangeville before leaving, or at the Clarno Lumber Yard, north of the Wisconsin state line. The cost is $4 for a day pass, or $20 for a season pass.
"It means a lot to me because people who are riding the trail or walking the trail can see (the plaque) and waive to him," Nicodemus said. "He will be there with them."
Nicodemus, an avid cyclist, was out for a bike ride on January 10, 2011, when he fatally struck a flatbed truck at the intersection of Rock Grove and Henderson Roads, just outside Orangeville. Now, six months later, Nicodemus is being remembered and honored for his contributions to the close-knit cycling community, and to the area bike trails he loved.
At 10 a.m. Saturday, the Northwest Illinois Trail Foundation and the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois - along with Nicodemus' wife, Janis and son, Keith - will gather to dedicate the Richard Nicodemus Memorial Bridge, 100 yards south of the intersection of High Street and the Jane Addams Trail in Orangeville, near the Jane Addams Trailhead.
As part of the ceremony, Keith is even planning to ride one of his father's beloved bikes, Janis said. Saturday's event is likely to be an emotional one for those who still miss him.
"Number one, he never had a harsh word to say," said Tyger Johnson, who knew Richard for seven years, forging a friendship riding bikes together. "He was the best friend you could ever have."
Planning the memorial began not long after Richard died, when Janis Nicodemus says she was still grieving. Eventually, she came up with the idea of a dedication of part of the trail, and managed to raise $1,000 toward the effort while holding memorials in Richard's memory.
To get her project going, Janis said she worked with John Buford of Orangeville and several organizations, including the Jane Addams Trail Commission, Northwest Illinois Trail Foundation, and Community Foundation of Northern Illinois.
The money raised by Nicodemus will be donated to JATC and NWITF for operational maintenance of the 12.5 mile trail, Buford said, adding that the cost of the plaque in Richard's honor was an additional $150.
Richard usually rode the trail daily, Janis said, adding that the exercise helped keep her husband's diabetes and high blood pressure in check.
But riding was not his only passion. Family was another.
The couple, who married when they were 18, would have celebrated their 48th anniversary this August. They had two sons and a daughter together, with five grandchildren.
"He was a loving husband and father," Nicodemus said. "He loved his kids, and spending time with his grandchildren."
As part of the event, friends, family and fellow riders can join an informal ride from the Orangeville Trailhead to Monroe, stopping for lunch at Culver's in Monroe before noon. Those planning to ride to Monroe must have a Wisconsin Trail Pass, and can buy one at the BOCO Station in Orangeville before leaving, or at the Clarno Lumber Yard, north of the Wisconsin state line. The cost is $4 for a day pass, or $20 for a season pass.
"It means a lot to me because people who are riding the trail or walking the trail can see (the plaque) and waive to him," Nicodemus said. "He will be there with them."