Nancy Patricia (Gibson) Stefanc

Nancy Patricia Stefanc (née Gibson), 71, of Decatur, Alabama by way of Madrid, Iowa; Lindenhurst, Illinois and Waukegan, Illinois took her leave on May 04, 2018 surrounded by her loving husband of 47 years and children. Nancy was born in Waukegan November 11, 1946. Nancy was raised by her loving parents Robert “Hoot” Gibson and Loretta Gibson (née McClellan). While considered somewhat of a “rebellious” teen during the early 60’s (who wasn't?), Nancy nonetheless grew into a loving and doting mother. Nancy met her husband, in Ken while as a civilian worker at Great Lakes Naval Base where he was stationed. They married in May of 1970 and soon relocated to Lindenhurst where they raised their three children; Dawn,Traci and Scott.

Nancy worked for a number of businesses including Films, Inc., Rust-Oleum and Cotter and Company. During her free time, Nancy had a passion for reading. It was quite common for Nancy to devour 4-8 or more books a week, especially murder mysteries. This love of reading was passed on to her children who recall spending hours at the library on any given Saturday. Additionally, Nancy was an avid sports fan rooting for her native Chicago franchises (Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs and, yes, even the Sox) as well as her “adopted” collegiate teams. She loved listening to football and baseball on the radio and enjoyed watching games in person. A fond memory she frequently recalled was being present at a Notre Dame/Navy game as a child with her father (a Marine) and cheering on her beloved Fighting Irish (from the Navy section). And she was very much excited to see her beloved Cubbies recently bring a WorldSeries title back to Chicago.

Nancy was very dedicated to education and knowledge. As a working mother and wife, Nancy continued her education and in 1982 was accepted into the Alpha Alpha Pi chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Fraternity. She easily “trounced” her family in trivia games and could be found providing the “questions” to Jeopardy “answers” many times faster than thecontestants themselves. Never satisfied with her own achievements, Nancy emphasized the value of education to her children and encouraged them to continually improve and reach for abetter future.

Nancy is survived by her husband Ken Stefanc of Decatur, Alabama; daughters Dawn Boren of Palomar Mountain, California and Traci (Matt) Parks of Northbrook, Illinois; son Scott (Heidi) Stefanc of Oskaloosa, Iowa; grandchildren Michael Boren, Sydney Parks, Nate Parks and Gareth Stefanc as well as a sister, Colleen (Ron) Ludden of Antioch, Illinois. She also leaves an aunt Mary Lou Spaeth of Waukegan, Illinois and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and dear family friends; far too many to list.

She was preceded in death by her loving parents as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins.

In lieu of flowers and cards, the family has requested that memorial contributions may be made to Decatur Public Library; contact the Library for details.” (256) 353-2993 ext. 103 or local, nokill animal shelters. There will be no wake or funeral but a Celebration of Life will be held June 2, 2018 at Quonset Hut 1:00-4:00pm in her hometown of Waukegan, Illinois.

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