Obituary
Nan Bender passed away peacefully on October 18th, 2023, surrounded by her caring family. Nan was a loving and devoted partner to Roger Gelber Hockman for 44 years; dedicated to her two stepchildren Lee (Laura) Hockman and Ari (Brad) Nicholson; committed and caring aunt to Steven Kahle (Erin Fanning) and David (Suzy) Kahle; proud and loving grandmother to Becca Hockman, Ellie Hockman, Talya Nicholson and Josh Nicholson and to her grandnieces and grandnephews Madelyn Kahle, Benjamin Kahle, Quinn Kahle and Asa Kahle. Nan was preceded in passing by her loving sister, Gay Kahle, and is survived by her brother-in-law, Warren Kahle. On the Hockman side, Nan is survived by her sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Ruth and Les Heltzer, her nephews Jason (Wendy) Heltzer, Daniel Heltzer (Aly Lubov) and Adam Heltzer (Jacquie Sandberg) as well as seven grandnieces and grandnephews, Gideon Heltzer, Miles Heltzer, Arlo Heltzer, Sadie Heltzer, Archie Heltzer, Layla Heltzer, and Gavin Heltzer.
Nan was a vibrant, stylish, kind, and outgoing woman. She graduated from Indiana University and soon after moved to Chicago where she eventually met Roger. They built a successful business where she served as vice-president, advisor, supporter, and guide. Until recently, she was still monitoring payroll and managing correspondence. Nan and Roger enjoyed travel throughout their lives, most significantly when they were surrounded by family on scuba diving trips to the Caribbean or Central America. Nan was never more at home than when she was surrounded by family - cooking, playing games, and lounging on the beach or deck - during holidays and vacations in Whitewater, Wisconsin where she and Roger had a summer home, on Captiva Island, Florida where they enjoyed a vacation home, or in Chicago, her longstanding year-round home. She taught each family member how to fish (with help from her father, Jerome Bender), left countless recipes in the family lore, and taught each family member about support, love and devotion in her relationship with Roger, truly her proudest accomplishment. Donations in Nan's name can be made to the Alzheimer's Association of Illinois (www.alz.org http://www.alz.org). Private family services were held.