NANCY ECKLES GILBERT

Nancy Gilbert approached life 

with creativity, a playful wit, 

and a positive outlook.

Nancy was born in New York City, and, like her parents, she was artistic. Her mother, Adele Godchaux, was a painter, writer, and herbalist. Her father, Harry Eckles, and stepfather, Bradley Smith, were both photographers. The oldest of six, Nancy grew up in a lively, eccentric home frequented by artists. As a girl, she explored the natural world, sketched and painted. She and her sister Susan were constant companions, often performing plays of their own invention. Every summer, they made the epic train trip from New York to New Orleans to visit family, memorably free of adult supervision en route.

Nancy enjoyed her studies at Oakwood, a progressive Quaker boarding school in Poughkeepsie, New York, where she met her future husband, John Gilbert. She went on to Antioch, a liberal arts college in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Antioch was the source of life-long friendships, and she said it taught her to look at the world thoughtfully and critically, as an idealist and a realist.

Her working life began with Antioch Co-Op job placements in Chicago and in New York, where she did layout for trade publications and assisted in book production at Doubleday. She and John lived in Greenwich Village and subsisted on lentils in order to enjoy the city’s cultural offerings on a shoestring budget.

A move to Indiana in 1955 brought graphic design work at Purdue University and, later, the arrival of Victoria and Bart. Around this time, Nancy and John discovered Unitarianism, a denomination that appealed to their spiritual and intellectual curiosity and sense of social justice.

The 1960s saw the family move to Wisconsin, where Sarah was born. Nancy supported the family and put John through theological school. When he was called to be the Unitarian Minister in Winnipeg in 1977, she embarked on the Canadian half of her life, forming friendships and community connections that sustained her.

Her active membership at the First Unitarian Church of Winnipeg began as the minister’s wife and extended long after John Gilbert’s ministry there ended. Nancy led discussion groups; chaired the Welcoming Congregation committee; programmed summer services; for decades served as head usher; and participated in fundraising. She also designed the church logos and, with dear friends Shirley Kitchen and Lois Whyte, founded a feminist Unitarian women’s group.

Professionally, Nancy continued to evolve, writing copy in addition to creating graphics. When technology changed, she adapted, deftly acquiring necessary new skills. Her collaboration with friend and colleague Brian Brooks at Howes, Waldon Associates Limited lasted for two decades, until the firm closed.

Nancy was an independent spirit who never stopped learning. Over the years she took courses in graphic arts, drawing, photography, printmaking and linguistics. She was always reading—newspapers, magazines, novels and poetry. As a mother and a grandmother, she was eager to sit on the floor, play with blocks, paint, draw, laugh, make elaborate Halloween costumes, and read book after book, raising a family of readers. As her grandchildren grew, she paid attention, wanting to discover who they were becoming.

She often mused that E.B. White put it perfectly when he said, “I arise in the morning torn between a desire to save the world and a desire to savour the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” Nancy saved—contributing in vital ways to countless groups and causes—and savoured. Her delights, among many others, included summer afternoons, trees of all kinds, ice cream, and zinnias.

Nancy was preceded in death by her son Bart Gilbert; and is survived by her siblings, Susan Van Kleeck (Paul Garrigue), Robert Eckles, Michael Smith (Nancy Shaw), Terrence Smith (Roberta Smith), Sharon Smith; her daughters, Victoria (Bryan Johanson), Sarah (Francis Miquet); daughter in law Christine Martin; and her grandchildren, Molly Johanson (Niccolo Pizarro), Matthew Gilbert (Rynn Letkeman), Cameron Gilbert, and Amelia Miquet. The family extends warm thanks and appreciation to Theresa at Reliable Homecare for her help and kind attention over the past 18 months.

A celebration of life will take place at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at 603 Wellington Crescent (the First Unitarian Church of Winnipeg). Please click here to view the service via Zoom. 

Meeting ID: 938 5430 1257
Passcode: 101516

Nancy’s family kindly requests that all of her friends and relatives take a few minutes to honour her memory by sharing photos, memories, and stories, using the comment section on this page.

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ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

1833 Portage Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

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