Joyce Marie Nimocks

Joyce Marie (Dobratz) Nimocks, 93, of Independence Village in Rockford, Illinois, passed away on January 1, 2021 after recent complications of a long battle with congestive heart failure and chronic kidney failure.

Joyce was born on December 16, 1927 to Richard William Edward Dobratz and Hedwig “Hattie” Erna (Schiller) Bain in Rockford Township, Illinois. Growing up she often helped her mother in her popcorn shop in Milwaukee. Sometimes she was the only one in the shop taking care of customers and making popcorn. She attended Roosevelt Junior High School and later received her GED at Rockford West High School.

In 1944, she met Russell Edward Nimocks, and they wed in 1945, going on to have six children. As a young housewife, she ironed for neighbors and later secured a job on the third shift at Amerock Cabinet Company.

After graduation, she went on to obtain a real estate license and landed her first job as a Realtor for Finders Realty. Throughout her 40-year career, she sold for Hyland Realty, John Geoghegan Realty, Bliss-Adelman Realty, and Whitehead Realtors. While with Whitehead, she achieved the million-dollar sales status numerous times and was a member of the Altus Elite.

Joyce was an avid bird watcher and kept numerous books in which she recorded the date and place of the birds she spotted. She was an expert quilter and spent years behind her sewing machine practicing the quilting she loved to do. She was a passionate bowler and golfer competing in several tournaments. As a member of the Bridge Center of Rockford, she found many friends to pass time with playing bridge, sometimes five and six times a week. At home she enjoyed gardening creating friendly environments to attract the birds to watch.

Left to live her legacy on are her children, Marguerite "Peggy" (Leonard) Summer, Paulette (Delbert) West, Timothy (Sue Gessner) Nimocks, Steven (Lydia Guča) Nimocks, Denise (Mark) Guetschow, 18 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, one great-great-great grandson, two nieces and five nephews. She was predeceased by her husband, Russell Edward Nimocks Sr in 1986; her son Russell Edward Nimocks Jr in 2006; her parents, Richard William Edward Dobratz in 1945 and Hedwig Erna (Frederick) Bain in 2000; brothers Richard August Dobratz in 2003 and Melvin Gustav Dobratz in 1954.

There will be a visitation for Joyce on Wednesday, January 6th, 2021 at Silver Hill Pentecostal Church, 4401 20th St, Rockford, IL 61109, from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. The service will take place immediately following the visitation at 11:00 a.m. Interment at Willwood Burial Park. The family requests that all flowers and notes are sent to Fitzgerald Funeral Home to be given to the family. To find the virtual funeral service, please visit www.fitzgeraldfh.com.


To view the funeral service online, please visit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuqCdBCdCyFE_ghxWM-Zg2Q