Toni Gordon, a dedicated nursing professional and lifelong advocate for education and
the arts, passed away peacefully on March 15, 2026, in St. Louis, MO. Born on April 25,
1941, in Chicago, IL, she was the eldest child of the late Anton and Edna Estelle (nee
Richardson) Schimka.

Raised in Des Plaines, IL, Toni began her career in healthcare upon graduating from the
Wesley Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in 1962. Her commitment to professional
excellence led her to pursue further education later in life, culminating in a Bachelor of
Arts from Stephens College in Columbia, MO in1996. A dual major in Health Care and
Business Administration, she was recognized for her academic achievements as a
member of the Mortar Board senior honorary society.

Toni held numerous leadership roles in the medical field. She served as the Assistant
Manager of the SameDay Surgery Center at University Hospital and Clinics in Columbia,
MO, from 1985 to 1996. Upon relocating to St. Louis, she managed the Pain
Management and Cutaneous Surgery Centers at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. She
concluded her career as a Research Nurse Coordinator within the Division of Geriatrics
and Nutritional Sciences at Washington University, retiring in 2006.

In her retirement, Toni remained a vibrant member of the Central West End community
in St. Louis. She was a member of the Beaux Arts Council at the St. Louis Art Museum,
and she regularly tutored local schoolchildren in reading.

Toni is survived by her three children: Marc Leigh Gordon (Pamela), Jodi Lynn Stephens
(Gary), and Tracy Ann Rawlings (Andy); and ten grandchildren: Claire Kay Gordon, Helen
Lucille Gordon, Jane Ruth Gordon, George Kenmore Gordon, Claudia Paige Stephens,
Henry Thomas Stephens (Ana), Stella Elizabeth Stephens, Christian Theodore Rawlings
(Nicole), Olivia Virginia Rawlings, and Isabel Coulter Rawlings. She was also looking
forward to the birth of her first great-grandchild.

She is further survived by her sister, Patricia Ann Wood, her brother, Michael Anthony
Schimka (Alicia); three nephews: Brian Wood (Katherine), Jeffrey Wood (Jennifer), Tony
Schimka; one niece: Andrea Thier (Chris); seven grandnephews and two grandnieces.

In keeping with her wishes, no formal memorial service will be held. For those desiring
to honor her memory, the family suggests contributions to the St. Louis Art Museum in
recognition of her lifelong passion for the arts.

Those donations in honor of Toni can be made by following this link:

https://www.slam.org/membership/give-tribute/