Nancy Marie Gornick

Nancy M. (Eischen) Gornick, 72, of Elizabeth, Il, passed away peacefully in her home on June 23, 2026, after a long and courageous 5 year battle with metastatic breast cancer. Nancy was born July 5th, 1953 in Chicago, Il to the late Theodore and Virginia (Rzeszut) Eischen. She grew up in Hickory Hills, Il and graduated from Argo High School in 1971. Shortly thereafter, she married the love of her life, Thomas Gornick, on June 9, 1973. They soon left the Chicago area and moved to the countryside in Council Hill, Il, where together, they shared 43 years of marriage while raising their four children.

Nancy began her career as a beautician, but always felt a higher calling to help others in life. She enrolled at Clarke College in Dubuque, IA and graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree at 42 years old. She was so incredibly proud of her accomplishment that she displayed "RNBSN53" with great pride on her license plates for many years. Nancy dedicated decades of her life caring for others as a traveling and ICU nurse. She remained devoted to her profession until retiring only a few years ago. While nursing was Nancy's lifelong calling, nothing in life brought her greater joy than being a grandmother. Nancy, otherwise known as "Grandma", "GMA", and "GiGi", was the kind of grandma every child dreams of. Whether she was cheering from the stands, baking in the kitchen, enjoying a girls "mani-pedi" day, or just simply sharing time together, she made every moment feel special. Nancy also found great happiness cheering for the Chicago Bears, spending time in her garden, and traveling the country. Christmas was her favorite time of year, and she had an extraordinary gift for making the holidays feel magical, creating traditions for her family that were filled with love, laughter, and unforgettable memories. Above all, Nancy will be remembered for her boundless kindness and generous heart. She had a remarkable way of brightening every room she entered and never missed an opportunity to help make someone's day a little brighter.

Nancy will be lovingly remembered and deeply missed by her children Cindy (Nick) Spataro of Myrtle Beach, SC, Andrew Gornick of Hanover, IL, Stephanie (Marty) Wild of Hanover, IL, Melissa (Matt) Hoyle of Solon, IA; Grandchildren Madalyn (Rylan), Callie, Finley, Jaxson, Colt, Michael, Jordan, Kaileah, Johnny, Lucy, and Mark; and several great-grandchildren; sisters Debra (Orville) Headley, Patricia (Robert) Green, Kathleen (Jeff) Targ, Jeanne (M. Edward) Phelan; brothers Theodore III (Ramona)Eischen, Timothy (Diane) Eischen; sister-in-law Denise (Dan) Dewitt; lifelong friend of 53 years Jerri (Bill) Powers; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. She is reunited in heaven with her beloved husband, Thomas Gornick, and parents Theodore and Virginia (Rzeszut) Eischen.

A celebration of Nancy's life will be held Saturday, July 18, 2026, at 1:00 pm at Grand View Estates, 550 Pleasant St., Elizabeth Il.

Our family wishes to extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who walked alongside our mom during her courageous journey. To Mercyhealth Hospice of Freeport and to Teri Voss, who provided care, prayers, and unwavering support during our mothers final days- thank you. To Grandview Estates, especially Melody Landwer and Mary Wild, whether offering a helping hand or a comforting presence, you went far beyond what anyone could have asked for. Your kindness touched not only our mothers life, but the hearts of our entire family and we will forever be grateful.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Susan G. Komen Foundation in Nancy's name by going to http://www.info-komen.org/goto/NancyGornick