Nancy E Cervenansky

Nancy Ellyn Cervenansky (nee Gerke), PhD, RN, age 78, passed away Sunday, September 28, 2025, after a long illness at her home in Franklin, WI, surrounded by her family. Nancy was born on July 9, 1947, to the late Edward and Ruth (nee Heinrichs) Gerke, and raised on the south side of Milwaukee. She met the love of her life, Jim, when his band (The Accents) played at her 8th grade CYO dance at St. Gerard’s grade school in May of 1961. They dated until getting married in 1969 and recently celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary. Together they would raise three children in Franklin, Wisconsin: her eldest daughter Laurel (Matthew) Rieck, her son Chad Cervenansky, and her youngest daughter, Jillian (Eric) Schulz. Nancy was very proud of all her children and their spouses. Nancy is also survived by her 3 grandchildren, Harrison, Madelyn, and Gwyneth “Wynnie”. Nancy held a special place in her heart for her grandchildren. She especially enjoyed her recent time with Wynnie, the youngest.

Nancy was a driven woman professionally, but she always enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren. Nancy liked cooking, reading recipe books, gardening, dancing, and listening to 50s, 60s, and 70s music. She traveled with Jim throughout the US, taking several trips to Hawaii, Mexico, St. Thomas, and the Caribbean Islands. Winter months were spent at their home in Naples, Florida, entertaining friends and relatives. Summers were spent at their cottage on Dog Lake in Three Lakes, WI.

Nancy had a very outgoing personality and loved talking to people. This transferred over to her long history of education, both at school and work. Nancy graduated from St. Mary’s Academy High School in Milwaukee in 1965. She then attended St. Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing, where she would receive her nursing diploma in 1968, her BSN at Alverno College in 1978, and her MSN at the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1987. One of her highlights in her educational career was receiving her PhD in Counseling in the School of Education at Marquette University in 1993, the very same day her eldest daughter, Laurel, graduated with her bachelor’s degree there.

Her professional career was diverse and never dull. Her family often joked that she never needed a job; people were always calling to hire her for her nursing expertise. At the young age of 22, she would become a charge nurse at St. Mary’s Hospital. This role brought many challenges and a newfound interest in psychiatric nursing. She soon joined Mr. Bela Maroti, founder of DePaul Hospital, as a Nursing Coordinator for the first inpatient program for impaired female patients. Nancy’s expertise in the field of the clinical treatment of alcoholism and other addictions was recognized locally and nationally. She would soon be hired by Dr. Roland Herrington and his group of physician addictionologists to develop a treatment program for addicted nurses and physicians at DePaul and later at Milwaukee Psychiatric Hospital. Her real devotion would always be to the nurses. Nancy made many trips to Madison to vouch for reinstatement of licensure before the Wisconsin Board of Nursing after successful completion of the program. Then governor Tommy Thompson recognized her expertise and elected her to represent the state of Wisconsin at a National Conference of Nursing in Washington, DC.

While Nancy always enjoyed her time advocating for those affected by substance abuse, she realized she had a gift to help many others in need. She would soon obtain her PhD in Counseling. After a short stint counseling college students at Cardinal Stritch University, she was recruited to become the next Dean at the Ruth S. Coleman School of Nursing at Cardinal Stritch University. Under her tenure, she created the first Master of Science in Nursing degree program there. She officially retired in 2005. She would continue to fill her days consulting and reading about nursing, counseling, or philosophical theory. Nursing was in her blood and humbled her. Until the very end, she would exclaim, “I was a Nurse!” She was most proud of those she helped and what she contributed to her field. Nancy found great joy in providing counsel and encouragement to so many throughout the community.

Nancy will be missed by many friends and relatives. She is survived by her husband, James Cervenansky, M.D., her children and grandchildren, her sister Kathleen (James) Beaver and brother Robert Gerke PhD, her brother-in-law Brian (Marlowe) Cervenansky, her late brother-in-law Terence Cervenansky; her late in-laws Andrew Cervenansky, M.D., and Marcella Cervenansky, RN, and several nieces and nephews, including Matthew Bauer and Jennifer Beaver. She loved her best friend since kindergarten, Linda Bansemer, with all her heart. Her spunky spirit and willingness to listen and chat will be missed most.

Visitation at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church (6060 W. Loomis Road, Greendale) on Thursday, October 16, 2025, from 9:00 am to 10:45 am with Mass of Christian Burial at 11 am. Private interment at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Milwaukee. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Wisconsin Nurses Association or the Arthritis Foundation.