OLEAN, N.Y. — The Niemic family recently established the Roger S. Niemic Memorial Fund at the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation to support organizations championing research for a cure to juvenile diabetes.
Niemic’s brothers and sisters, Karen Niemic Buchheit, Tim Niemic, Terri (Niemic) Warras and Doug Niemic, and mother and father, Stan and Pat Niemic, decided to establish the fund following his unexpected passing on March 22 at age 55 after a very brief illness.
Niemic, of Charlotte, N.C., had juvenile diabetes since his childhood but managed his illness and led a full and productive life, said Karen Niemic Buchheit, Niemic’s sister and CRCF executive director.
The family decided that establishing the fund would be an impactful way to preserve the memory of their fun-loving, good-natured brother and son while fighting a disease that affected him, Buchheit added.
“Losing a brother and son is hard, more so to lose him at such a young age so unexpectedly,” said Buchheit, “However, creating this fund and seeing memorial donations sent in his name have provided a healing touch for our family amidst our grief.
“I help other families set up memorial funds quite often in my role as CRCF executive director, and now I understand even more on a personal level how helpful philanthropy can be in remembering a loved one and channeling a painful loss into something positive,” Buchheit added.
The endowment will provide annual grants to support the research and cure of juvenile diabetes through organizations such as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and/or local chapters of JDRF such as the Western Pennsylvania Chapter and the Greater Western Carolinas Chapter.
Niemic, a native of Erie, Pa., earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Gannon University and a master’s degree from Marquette University. He went on to work for GE in Milwaukee, Wisc., and Vanguard in Charlotte, N.C., where he had worked since 2000.
Donations can be made to the Roger S. Niemic Memorial Fund at CRCF, 301 North Union Street, Suite 203, or online atcattfoundation.org.
