Ana Iovanac

Ana Iovanac, 77, of Robinson, IL, passed away on March 7, 2026, in the comfort of her home, surrounded by the love of her family. Born on May 26, 1948, in Clocotici, Romania, Ana's story began a world away from the place she would one day call home. She grew up there and carried that heritage with her when she came to the United States in 1981. Later, after her husband, Crasta, was transferred from Chicago to Robinson in the 1990s, the couple settled into this community and found a place they truly loved. Robinson became home to Ana, and it stayed that way. She grew to love the rhythms of this community and the family life that flourished around her here.

Day by day, year by year, she poured herself into the people she loved, and in doing so, created a life of remarkable beauty. She was loyal, dependable, hardworking, and deeply devoted to her family. They knew they could count on her, because they always could. She was, in every meaningful sense, a full-time mom and grandmother. She never really worked outside the home because her life's work was already there, in the daily giving of herself to her children and grandchildren. She cared for them, chased her grandkids around the house, played Super Nintendo with them, and filled their days with the kind of love that lasts a lifetime.

That love often took tangible form through the work of her hands. Ana was a gifted seamstress and spent countless hours crocheting, creating pieces so beautiful that some of her work was even framed. She enjoyed cooking and trying new recipes, and in all of it, she revealed something true about who she was. Ana was a maker in the deepest sense, someone who used her hands to serve, comfort, and bless. What she created was lovely, but even more than that, it carried the unmistakable imprint of her love.

But Ana's life was not only beautiful in the things she made. It was beautiful in the way she embraced the ordinary moments of each day. She loved her soap operas, and she was always happy to watch Price Is Right. She faithfully walked her dogs, Butch and Lucky, around the park each day. Saturdays were especially dear to her because they meant time with her daughter-in-law, Maria. The two of them would go shopping, look around Joann's Fabrics, and often head to Olive Garden to eat together. Those simple routines became the texture of a life marked by contentment, and at the heart of that contentment was an unwavering trust in God.

Ana was a woman of prayer, someone who spent much time with devotionals and quiet reflection before the Lord. When she attended church, she worshiped at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church. But her faith was never something she needed to display for others to see. It was simply there, steady and real, woven into the way she lived and loved. It gave her strength through every season of life and helped make her the dependable, loving presence her family knew so well. And now, that same faith that carried her through life gives those who love her reason to trust that she is safe in the presence of her Lord.

She married Crasta Iovanac on April 5, 1970, and he survives. She is also survived by her children, Nick (Maria) Iovanac and Ann (Tony) Rizza; by her grandchildren, Nicholas (Peem), Julianna, Billy (Anna), and Anthony; by her great-grandchildren, Sophia and Alessandra; by her sister, Maria Otil; and by several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Michai Peia and Maria (Filca) Peia.

Private services will be held, and burial will be in the Newlin Cemetery. The Goodwine Funeral Home in Robinson is assisting the family with these arrangements. Memorials may be made to St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, with memorial envelopes available at the funeral home.