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Eileen C. James Obituary

Brought to you by Cremation Society of Illinois

Eileen C. James

Romeoville, IL

August 27, 1941 - March 7, 2023

Eileen C. James Obituary

Eileen (Pikorz) James, 81, of Wheaton passed away peacefully on March 7th, 2023 with family and friends by her side. Loving Wife of the late Henry “Kip” James. Caring Daughter to the late Walter and Margaret (Labay) Pikorz. Proud Sister to Walter Pikorz and Earl Pikorz. Beloved Aunt to Linda (Pikorz) Maltese, Michael Pikorz, David Pikorz and Jennifer Pikorz. She was also Great Aunt to many cherished nieces and nephews. Compassionate Step-Mother to Steven James, Craig James, Marcy (James) Byrd, & Jill (James) Beckman. Dear friend to many.


Eileen loved traveling, dining, theatre, shows, music, entertainment, golf, dancing, playing cards with friends and socializing with everyone she met. Most of all, Eileen loved her family.


Eileen was raised in humble spirit with an appreciation for the simple things in life. She was always proud of her Harvey roots, acknowledging how it shaped her character, resilience and modesty. Eileen often reflected on the selfless life of her own Mother, Margaret, who was her foundation, guiding Eileen in her faith and appreciation for life. Eileen knew better than to take moments for granted, and after conquering her sobriety, she prided herself on a journey worth taking. A life worth living. And memories worth making. Eileen understood that life compounded equally on perseverance and strength. She also recognized that happiness was never a given…she always believed in focusing only on the good. On any outing on any day, Eileen was an icon for joy. Her laughter and social quest to meet and chat with anyone at any time sort of became her token of identity. In fact, we all came to expect it, and subtly enjoyed smiling along to the new conversations.


Eileen had no shortage of dynamic character, ambition, goodwill, generosity, or love. She gave with all of her heart and touched the lives of many through her charitable contributions and volunteer work. But she will be most remembered for being present. Truly present. Everyday. Eileen loved living and loved life. She took time to enjoy every single moment in the day. If you had a conversation with her, she listened more intently than anyone. She laughed at your stories and shared in your emotions. She humored a good joke, and even a bad one. And when her great great nieces told stories of fairies living in the wall, she believed the magic…because Eileen was the magic. Her presence lit up a room. Her laugh was undeniably contagious. Just the sound of her laughter would radiate the room, filling it instantly with happiness. Pure happiness. Her energy was unmatched. Her presence was deeply rooted in every shared moment.


And because of how much she touched each and every one of us, her life will never be forgotten. Memories and traditions will carry-on in her memory and chapters of her story will continue to be told for generations to come. She will be remembered. She will always be loved. And she will always be present in each and every one of us every day.


While heaven certainly gained an angel, it also gained a whole lot of laughter and joy. And perhaps even a little organization. We can try to find peace knowing that Eileen has boarded her final cruise…..her final destination….with her best friend, her husband and biggest fan, Kip.


May we all allow time to transfer our grief and pain into remembrance and reflection. Let us all continue to laugh, love and live as Eileen would have wanted. Eileen………we love you. Eileen and Kip, go enjoy your final cruise. See you at the banquet.


Inurnment will be private. 





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