Jane E. Naylor

Jane Esther “Robin” Naylor-Bernardy, age 91, of Chicago, IL, passed away December 11, 2024. She was born in Columbus, OH on October 11, 1933 and moved with her family to the Chicago area at a young age, eventually settling in the Barrington countryside, where she learned to ride her horse, Cricket.

After graduating from Barrington High School and then Vanderbilt University with a bachelor’s degree, she moved to Los Angeles in 1958 and later graduated from UCLA with a Master’s degree as a Nurse Practitioner and spent several years in the medical field in California. Due to her cheery disposition, friends and co-workers gave her the nickname “Robin”, which followed her for the rest of her life. She also rescued a very loyal and affectionate, but protective, German Shepherd, named Lohengrin.

She returned to Barrington to care for her Mother in 1981 and remained in the Chicago area after her Mother‘s death the next year. Whereupon, she then moved to Chicago and resumed her career in a variety of nursing positions, eventually retiring as a teacher of Nursing Terminology at the City Colleges of Chicago. After retirement, she traveled extensively in Europe, visiting Iceland, Greenland and the British Isles several times. In between trips, attendance at the Chicago Opera and CSO performances was a highlight of her life.

She routinely responded to friends and family requests for her medical knowledge, and never refused to share.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Bernardy; parents, Ralph E. and Esther S. Naylor; and sister, Martha Morgan. She is survived by her brothers, Robert F. (Donna) of Phoenix, AZ and James S. (Vivian) of Southfield, MI; one niece; several nephews; great-nieces; and great-nephews. Paul and Jane loved their Weimaraners, Silky and Taupe, and enjoyed attending and hosting family and friends at holiday and Sunday meals.

The family would like to acknowledge and thank Mendes Harris for her 24/7 unwavering kindness, support and care of Jane for the last 3 years.