Holly Jirka

Holly Ann Jirka died Tuesday, September 9, 2008, at her home in Herrick, Illinois. She was born December 29, 1951, in Elmhurst, the daughter of Amelia (Jakl) and Raymond Jirka. She was raised in Elgin and graduated from Larkin High School.Holly earned her Bachelors Degree in Nursing from Northern Illinois University (cum laude in 1974) and a Master of Science in Nursing with distinction from DePaul University, Chicago, in 1978. Nursing was Hollys vocation and avocation. She furthered her education throughout her life including earning her Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Certification from Florida Keys Community College in Key West..Hollys career spanned 34 years of nursing and nursing instruction. She began as a staff nurse and instructor at Northwestern University Health Care Center in Chicago. She also taught at DePaul University and Augustana Hospital. Phase two included intensive care nursing at Loyola University in Maywood and teaching aspiring nurses at Elgin Community College. She then moved to Key West, Florida, where she owned her first home. She held teaching and administrative positions at Florida Keys Community College, as well as being an adjunct instructor at the University of Miami and being a part time staff nurse at Fishermans Hospital on Marathon Key.Though she came back to Illinois, she considered herself a Floridian and maintained her residence in Key West. She ended her career teaching at Richland Community College, private duty nursing and finally as a staff nurse at Springfield Memorial Hospital.Holly authored articles about education and nursing. She had given numerous professional presentations and had served on several review panels. Loved and respected by her students, professional recognition included two teacher of the year awards..Holly enjoyed nursing, family, skiing, archery, sewing, scuba diving, flying and a love of horses.She was preceded in death by her parents.Holly is survived by her fianc Robert Risley of Decatur and his family. She is also survived by her sisters Amelia (Paul) Andresen and Irene (David) Wedemeyer of Elgin, IL. Her nieces and nephews include Heather (Mark Williams) Andresen and their daughter Darienne, April (Joshua) Myers and their daughter Grace, Elizabeth (Luis) Murillo, Kathryn (Fianc Scott Sternall) Wedemeyer and Kent (Susan Hart) Wedemeyer.Memorials may be made to the Northern Illinois University School of Nursing scholarship fund.Visitation for Holly will be at 1:00 Sunday afternoon, September 14, 2008, at Brintlinger & Earl Funeral Home, 2827 N. Oakland Avenue, Decatur, IL, with a funeral service at 2:00 P.M. Burial service will begin at 3:00 P.M. at Mt. Gilead Cemetery, Decatur, IL. Condolences may be left to the family at www.brintlingerandearl.com. "
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