Obituary: Nance

Ellen Ann Nance, 91, passed away at 9:33pm, on Saturday, May 17, 2025 at Accolade Healthcare, Peoria.

Graveside services will be 11:30am, Saturday, May 24th, 2025 at Calvary Cemetery, rural Chenoa. Visitation with the family will be 10 to 11:15am prior to the graveside service on Saturday at Duffy-Pils Memorial Home, Chenoa. 

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be directed to the family of Ellen A. Nance.

Mrs. Nance was born September 9, 1933 at home in Colfax; a daughter to Elmo and Lillian (Leonard) Johnson.  The doctor apparently was a bit late for the delivery as he was milking the family cow in the barn. She married Lawrence Nance in 1955. He preceded her in death in 2004.   

Her parents, one daughter, Mary Elizabeth Nance, 2 brothers, Ervin and Thomas Johnson; 2 sisters, Mae Gardner and Kathryn Lucille Morgan also preceded her in death.

Survivors include two daughters, Bridget (Donald Christie) Nance; Cecelia (Charles) Smith both of Washington; two sons, Stephen (Christie Lipps) Nance of Washington; and Mark (Becky) Nance of East Peoria; her loving sister Shirley (Jim) McGimpsey of Arkansas; 11 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.

Ellen was always busy, busy, busy; not only raising her 5 children who were all 1 year apart, she also retired as a telephone operator for AT&T/ Illinois Bell/ Ameritech and spent much time at her 3 businesses; the House of Ceramics; a laundromat and tanning salon. Never one to let the grass grow under her feet she also went back to school and received her CNA license and was a licensed phlebotomist in her 60’s.