Adoria Joy Blanchet Whittaker Perkins died peacefully on January 28, 2024, in Washington, DC.  Adoria was born on April 6, 1928, in New Orleans, Louisiana to Bernice Bush Blanchet and Glendon C. Blanchet.  She spent her early childhood in New Orleans and Chicago before moving to Cincinnati, Ohio at the age of 12 with her mother and her beloved stepfather Frederick Douglass Henry.  It was in Cincinnati where Adoria "renamed" herself "Nikki", a nickname that stayed with her for the remainder of her life. Nikki was a 1945 graduate of Walnut Hills High School and attended Fisk University, where she became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., before graduating from Ohio State University with both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees.

Her first marriage to Franklin Hope Whittaker lasted more than 20 years and ended with his death in 1969.  Adoria and Franklin had two children, Forrest Franklin Whittaker, born on March 7, 1951, and Gail Daryl Whittaker, born on August 21, 1953.  Adoria married Edward Perkins in 1984 and enjoyed a marriage full of travel, family, card games and love for over 30 years until his death in 2019.

Adoria enjoyed a fulfilling and accomplished career in education and was the principal of North Avondale Elementary and Woodford Primary schools.  In 1984 she was appointed Special Assistant to the Superintendent of the Cincinnati Public Schools, where she was vital in implementing the desegregation plan entered into by the school district.  Her legacy as an educator is felt by former students and co-workers alike.  Her motto as an educator was "We aim to make a child feel good about himself.  How he feels depends on the nurturing he gets."  She lived that philosophy in the way she interacted with students and others.

Nikki was an avid patron of local artists and was active in many local civic and social organizations, including The Links, Inc., Jack & Jill of America, Inc. and The Sophisticates, Inc.  She was also a member of St. Andrews Episcopal Church.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward Perkins, her children Gail and Forrest Whittaker and her stepsons Michael and Ronald Perkins.  She leaves to cherish her memory her grandchildren Tiffani Katherine Whittaker, Anais Bianca Garnett (Marlon), Mariel Adoria Yazdi (Matthew), Gabriel Franklin Whittaker; Daughter-in-law, Cassandra Jo Whittaker; her stepson Anthony Perkins (Brenda) and their daughter Antoinette; and 6 great-grandchildren.