Nancy Hearst

Nancy Hearst, of Monona, Wisconsin, formerly of Steubenville, Ohio, and Fairmont, West Virginia, passed away on Wednesday, December 10, 2025. She was 77.

Nancy was born on July 10, 1948, in Steubenville, Ohio, eldest child of the late Walter and Angeline Sebalac Sierawski.

She was a graduate of Steubenville High School and went on to earn her nursing degree from the Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Through the matchmaking efforts of one of her best friends, Nancy was introduced to James Hearst, whom she later married on January 25, 1976. James served as a District Attorney before establishing a private law practice in Fairmont, West Virginia.

Their life together was rooted in family, service, and community until James’ untimely passing from cancer in 2001. Nancy devoted more than three decades to a career in nursing, a profession that perfectly reflected her compassionate nature. She served patients at Fairmont General Hospital, Chestnut Ridge Hospital, and concluded her career at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown West Virginia.

A caregiver in every sense of the word, Nancy not only cared for countless patients but lovingly tended to her husband during his illness. Friends and family routinely sought her guidance and reassurance as they faced the challenges of aging and health. Known for her warm, outgoing personality, Nancy truly loved people. She was social, friendly, and delightfully sassy, always ready with an arch look and an easy laugh. She loved reading, creating art, and seeing live music and theatre, whether it was a Jimmy Buffet concert with her son, or seeing her daughter act on stage.

Nancy also cherished travel, especially trips to visit her adult children while living in London, Chicago, and Texas. Her most beloved adventures were trips taken with her family and friends to England, France, and Spain. These experiences not only enriched her life but also created lasting memories. She is survived by her three children, Elizabeth (Tim) Handford , Deborah (Whitney Derendinger) Hearst, and David (Laurie) Hearst; her grandchildren, Eve and Ellie Handford, Eden Derendinger, and Leilah Hearst; her sister, Bonnie Zawilla, and her brother, James Sierawski.

Family and friends are invited to attend visitation from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. on Monday, December 22, 2025, at which time services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m., with Rabbi Aaron Bisno presiding.

Interment will follow at B’Nai Israel Cemetery in Steubenville, Ohio.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Nancy’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Share tributes and memories with Nancy’s family at www.grecohertnick.com