Elizabeth Nykun, had unique spirit

Elizabeth “Liz” Nykun, 70, formally of Mendham, N.J., passed away March 17, 2022, after many years of battling breast cancer.  Liz’s approach to life embodied her unique spirit; she combined no-nonsense pragmatism with compassion and generosity to all those she encountered as a mother, wife, sister, friend, and colleague. 

Liz most recently resided in Heritage Creek, Milton, with Bill Byrnes, her beloved partner for the last nine years. She was born and raised in Northvale, N.J., the daughter of deceased Kurt and Christine Lischick. Liz was the oldest of nine siblings, Charlotte, Edward, Eloise, Dorothea, Barbara, Stephen, Margaret, and Douglas; some of them would tell you she was the family general and for the younger ones, she was almost a second mom.  Liz became the beloved wife of 37 years to Richard Nykun (deceased), and the loving mother of Jeffery Nykun, Jodi Recksiek and her husband Paul, Amanda Connor and her husband Jon, and Abby Daley and her husband Tim. She is also survived by her cherished grandchildren, Harrison and Jane.  

Beyond her family, Liz devoted her life to taking care of others, working as an emergency department nurse for 40 years.  Not only did she care for thousands of patients, but she also had a significant role in mentoring and training many of the next generation of nurses, ironically being cared for at her death by one such person.  She also had a consistent dedication to volunteering, working for decades in serving meals, curating clothing, and even traveling internationally to provide medical care for impoverished families.

Liz’s hobbies revolved around nature, learning and seeing the world.  Throughout her life, she maintained a flower garden and built a large collection of bespoke birdhouses tailored to a variety of species.  Liz’s passion for learning was embodied through many years of continuing education while working, and voracious reading of all genres.  In her post-retirement, Liz and Bill began to explore the world together, and had intentions to continue checking off more locations from their bucket list.

We will never forget her generosity and ready smile; she will live in our hearts forever.  She will be remembered fondly; she left the world a better place.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Liz’s memory may be made to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, bcrf.org.