Funeral Details

We are so sorry to learn of the loss of your beloved “Irv.”
You are in our thoughts and prayers. May his memory always be a blessing to you, bringing you comfort and joy.

Leslie, Peter, Alyssa, and Avi Horwitz

I worked with and knew Irv for many years while I lived in Chicago and worked at the Midwest Business Group on Health. He always had a smile on his face and a new idea for any project we had. We kept in touch after he left MBGH and we talked about his music and how his son’s musical career was doing and where he was playing

He was truly a gentle man whose spirit will always be with his loved ones.

Larry Boress

My deepest sympathy to the family of my cousin Irving.
Irving’s father Max helped my father tremendously when he came to the US in 1948. That help was always appreciated.

BDE and RIP

Brian & Beth Pikelny

Brian Pikelny

May his memory be a blessing. Dan and I loved seeing him.at the American Legion Hall, and of course Dan and Bill loved his smiling face a Gidwitz.
Love to you Nancy and Noam and Motti.
You will always be a special family to us.
Leslie and Dan

Daniel and yamshon

I worked for Irv at Cook County Health - we overlapped about 5 years. When I looked up a Wikipedia definition of Mensch I was disappointed that the first definition wasn’t “see Izhak Pikelny.”

He fought established ways of doing things with determination and data. Stubborn in a good way. He supported his staff by giving us credit publicly in a hierarchical organization. He was very supportive of our professional development - for example he asked for to have a colleague and I get invited to give presentations at organization-wide diabetes seminars, to serve on system-wide committees and learn as much as we could. He loved good data analysis and collaborative problem-solving to improve people’s health.

As a human, it was clear that Irv cared about us. When a colleague had health difficulties, he made sure we walked very slowly to and from Costco for pizza so she could keep up. When my mom was ill, he made sure he had her name correctly - and her mother’s name - so G-d would know which Naomi he was praying for. No idle “thoughts and prayers” wish from Irv. He meant it.

He was so intensely proud of Nancy’s intellectual brilliance and her actions in the community. It was lovely to work with someone so very grateful. It was very hard for him not to flat out boast about his sons. Stories about how they developed as boys and their interests was delightful to hear. Motti and Noam: I know you both although we’ve never met (handshake at Noam’s concert doesn’t count). You are apparently wonderful and have chosen wonderful women as partners (bragged about them too).

To honor Irv I will fight for decisions to be made based on data and facts, I will be grateful every day for my good fortune, and I will be supportive of others. I will not go so far as to eat cheese pizza from Costco - but Nancy didn’t want Irv doing that either.

May his memory be a blessing to all who encountered him.

Edith Silver

I worked with Irv at Macneal back in the day. He taught ne much and I throughly enjoyed our sometimes tumultuous conversations. He gave me ny first insights into population health and the power of data.
My condolences to the family and may his memory be for a blessing.

Gary Wainer

Itzhak was a very kind and gentle human with a wonderful sense of humor that often lit up a room. He will be much missed by family members and friends.

Sara Pikelny

Bob and Itzhak spent time together when he was well, walking and bike riding at the Botanic Gardens and other lovely environments. Itzhak would talk to Bob, with great pride, about both of his sons, what they were doing and how it pleased him to see them flourish. Both of us remember him in shul, always with a smile, and always interested.
May he rest in peace, and may his memory be for a blessing.—Bob and Carol Grannick

Bob and Carol Grannick

I have many wonder positive memories of Nancy and Izhak during our teaching years at Schechter which will live on in the many years to come. How wonderful having been so much to so many fortunate people. Love, Barbara Yablon

Bsrbsra Yablon

I worked with Irv for several years and I want to echo all of Edie's sentiments about him. He had a heart of gold , a wonderful wit and a geat sense of humor which would come through even if he was grumpy or arguing passionately about something . Though I havent seen Irv for several years I will always remember him. My deepest sympathy to the family for your loss.

Katina Daher

Katina Daher

I got to know Izhak when he moved to Gidwitz. He joined my Torah Yoga class every other Sunday. It was a joy seeing him in the room. He always had a smile with a positive energy and a love for Judaism. When I asked him how he is doing, he always said "Yihye Tov", which means, it will be good. Izhak was knowledgeable, he participated in class, and always had something to add. At the end of class we used to chat about his week, and before I left I always told him that I love him, and how special of a person he is, he smiled back at me. It was a gift having him in the room, and his friends and I will miss him so much. Class will not be the same without Izhak in the room.  The next class which will be about T'filat Hannah, the payre of Hannah will be dedicated in his memory. May his memory be for a blessing. Yehi Zichro Baruch.

Pnina Mazor

Dear Nancy, Noam and Caitlin, Motti and Rachel, and all who loved Izhak, what a beautiful and heart filled celebration of Izhak’s life.
I loved the stories you shared of how he impacted your lives. Both Phil and I, could feel his presence, along with a tenderness and joy of your memories. May those stories be told and retold so that the grandchildren and future generations can all continue knowing him. We are holding you close in our hearts.

Connie Regan-Blake

Izhak was a dear friend and fellow amateur musician that he imbued to his sons Noam and Moti. We even played together as a trio with David Braun on flute, me on guitar and Izhak on violin. There were times when we “sold” our trio called The Schlepping Klezmers and performed during several Bnai Mitzvah receptions. We also rode bicycles on long distance rides to Grant Park on July Fourth.
Our family always enjoyed being together with the Pikelnys. Usual was always kind and sweet and he never said a bad word about anyone. His death comes between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and it is said to be a Tzaddik’s death. May the family be comforted amongst the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

Paul Kredow

Dear Nancy,
Please accept our deepest condolences on the loss of your beloved husband.
Jody and Michael Weinberg

Jody Weinberg