Nancy (Niebur) Parente

Nancy J. (Niebur) Parente, age 67, of Bloomington, IL passed away on Thursday, May 26, 2022

at Liberty Village in Pittsfield. She was born on January 31, 1955 in Pittsfield, IL to Richard and

Kathryn Goodman Niebur. She married Mario Parente on November 27, 2008 in Bloomington,

IL. He preceded her in death on August 21, 2009.

Nancy grew up in Pittsfield and even as a young person was actively involved in her community,

working at King Park Pool, supporting the Girl Scouts, and helping her congressman by being a

Findley girl. In 1973 she graduated from Pittsfield High School and that same year was a John

Phillip Sousa award winner. She went on to attend Indiana University where she was very

active in the marching band. After graduating in 1977, Nancy began her career in Parks and

Recreation working in St. Charles, Urbana, and Downers Grove. In 1984, she became a

graduate assistant at Illinois State University where she earned her Masters Degree. In 1986,

she began working at the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department as

Superintendent of Recreation.  From 1996 to 2001, Nancy was adjunct faculty at ISU in the

School of Kinesiology and Recreation. She worked tirelessly for the success of her students and

she herself won many awards throughout her career. She mentored many interns over the

years and cheerfully made sure her students could expand their horizons by participating in

state and national conferences. Nancy was a member of the Illinois Board of Parks and

Recreation, on the Board of Directors for Community Players as well as Heartland Theater, and

was also an active member of the Soroptimist Organization. Music and theater were a big part

of her life and she was very active in community concerts and played with pit bands for theater

productions. Nancy liked collecting art and going to museums and galleries. She enjoyed

travelling and took trips to Alaska as well as many state and national parks, but she especially

loved Scotland where she spent weeks or months at a time. She also enjoyed going on cruises.

Nancy will be remembered fondly and will be deeply missed by her friends and family.

She is survived by her brother, Jim (Sue) Niebur of Bloomington, IL; sisters, Noue (Jim) Filbert of

Pittsfield, IL and Martha Niebur of Evanston, IL; nieces and nephews, Josh (Suzanne) Filbert,

Joey (Laura Sorg) Filbert, August Filbert, Andrew (Sejla) Niebur, Tom (Cara) Niebur, and Ben

Niebur; great nieces and nephews, Claire Filbert and Ben Filbert; and childhood and lifelong

best friend, Theresa Landess Sidwell as well as several other friends and colleagues.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Mario Parente and her parents, Richard and

Kathryn Niebur.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, June 3, 2022 at Pittsfield United Methodist Church at

11:30 AM with visitation to be held prior to the service from 10:30 to 11:30 AM. Cremation

rites have been accorded. Memorials may be made to the scholarship established at ISU to

honor Nancy and her work with the interns in her program. They should be made to ISU

Foundation, the Nancy Niebur Parente Scholarship fund #512-5299. It is suggested they be sent

to Niebur Funeral Home who will direct them to the proper department at the university.

Online condolences may be left to the family at www.nieburfh.com. Niebur Funeral Home is

handling the arrangements.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Nancy (Niebur) Parente, please visit our floral store.