Nancy A. Gilley, 83, passed away at 9:15 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, surrounded by her loving family.

Born Jan. 6, 1935, in Loxa, Ill., she was the only daughter of Everett E. and Marjorie (Defenbaugh) Hildreth. She was raised in the family home alongside four brothers with her family holding longtime membership at First Christian Church in Mattoon, Ill.

Nancy Hildreth was married to John Fisher Oct. 9, 1954. Together they had four children. He preceded her in passing in 1987. Nine years later she was blessed to find love in Bourbon, when she met Donald Gilley while visiting family. The two were united in marriage on Dec. 3, 1996, sharing many happy memories before his passing on March 30, 2004.

To Nancy Gilley, nothing was more important than time spent with family. She enjoyed gardening, even keeping a small garden on her apartment patio in later years; she especially loved purple clematis. She enjoyed hunting for Morel mushrooms and was surprisingly computer savvy with all these things circling back to family. She used the computer to keep in touch on Facebook, had taught each of her children to garden, and shared her love for morel hunting (and eating) with them too.

Those with memories to treasure include her four children: son, John Fisher, Jr. (Lila Huggins), Sigel, Ill.; and daughters: Tammy Lincoln (Dave), Warsaw; Dawn Ricciarelli, St. Augustine, Fla.; and Tava Elder (Gary), Toledo, Ill. Also surviving are 11 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and brother, Jim Hildreth of Atlanta, Ga. In addition to her husbands, she was preceded in death by three brothers: Bob, Gene and Bill Hildreth and by granddaughter, Stephanie Payne.

Her life will be celebrated in October at a family gathering near her childhood home. Locally, no services will be held. Those wishing to express their sympathy may do so using the condolences section of Nancy Gilley’s obituary at www.TitusFuneralHome.com.