Nancy Piotrowski

Nancy Piotrowski (nee Piotrowski and no, it’s not a misprint—she was so pleased with her driver’s license photo she searched and found the love of her life with the same last name), beloved wife of Stephen, loving mother of Julie Govreau and Jennifer (Justin) Nemeth, cherished grandmother of Cameron, Madelyn, Alexis, Abigail, and Amelia, dear sister of Edward (Jo Ann), kind aunt of Edward (Brandy) and Matthew. She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Virginia.
Nancy left us too soon, having recently celebrated her 74th birthday and 55th wedding anniversary.
Nancy was her name; numbers was her game. A hardworking professional, she enjoyed a successful career for 36 years in the employ of BMO Harris Bank, rising to the level of senior vice president and blazing a path for fellow females to follow. Her prowess with figures extended to the roll of dice, the ladies in her neighborhood Bunco group resolved to accept her frequent victories. No surprise that she was also an excellent Trivial Pursuit player.

Nancy brought that same focus, drive, and intensity to her favorite pastime—shopping. It was rumored that she considered changing her initials from N.I.P. to Q.V.C. Her motto for family vacations was “No mall left unshopped,” with the goal of setting foot in every Kohl’s store in the country. Her extensive collection of Cabbage Patch Kids, had they been actual cabbages, could have ended world hunger.

A fan of the Cubs (she was in attendance for Don Cardwell’s 1960 no-hitter), Bulls (who didn’t love watching Michael Jordan?), and Bears (Cabbage Patch Kid Hugh Sammy, outfitted in his Bears jersey, brought the championship to Chicago by watching every game of the ’85 Super Bowl season with the family), her younger brother believed her indifference to the Blackhawks was specifically meant to annoy him.

Born in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood, she was a graduate of St. Stanislaus Kostka High School, graduating near the top of her class and revered by nuns and classmates alike as the only student who could spell “Stanislaus Kostka.” She also resided in Niles, Bloomingdale, and Huntley. She enjoyed attending musicals at Lincolnshire, Drury Lane, and The Paramount, but tops on her list was the time spent with her grandchildren, an unending source of pride and joy.
And, speaking of joy, ornaments and decorations with that word filled (overflowed, really!) her home during the Christmas holiday, Nancy’s favorite. JOY is the perfect word describing the emotion she brought to all that knew her.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her name to St. Jude Children’s Hospital would be appreciated.

Memorial visitation Friday August 6, 2021 from 8:30am until time of prayers 10:30am at The Countryside Funeral Homes and Crematory, 333 South Roselle Rd., Roselle. Funeral Mass to follow at St. Walter Catholic Church, Roselle. Cremation was private at The Countryside Crematory. Info www.countrysidefuneralhomes.com or (630)529-5751