She spent her childhood years between Des Moines, Iowa and Bismarck, North Dakota. In 1950 Nancy graduated amongst the top of her class at Theodore Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Iowa. She attended her first year of college at Iowa State in Ames, Iowa (1950-51). She went on to attend and graduate from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa (1951-54). In 1955 she received her Master’s Degree from Drake University.
Nancy began her teaching experience in Northbrook, Illinois as a public-school teacher in 1954. In 1957 she became Associate Professor of Education at Iowa Wesleyan College, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa until 1961 when she moved to Albion and became professor and Director of Education of Albion College. She established a collaborative graduate program with the Prestigious Bank Street College of Education in New York over a Three-year period before her retirement from Albion College. She retired in 1994.
She is preceded in death by her husband Charles, and son Kurt, a brother Earl Graffam Capt. U. S. Navy Retired. She is survived by 2 daughters, Heidi Ross (Doug), and her son Thaddeus, and Kirstin Kinter (Ken) and their two sons Maxwell and Jackson.
Nancy has been active in the community by serving on the Boards of Johnson Child Care Center, Albion Interfaith Ministries, First United Methodist Church, Ismon House, Kids “N” Stuff, Alpha Chi Omega, First Presbyterian Church, The Brass Band of Battle Creek. She was a summer resident in Bay View for more than 40 years and served as the Education Committee Chairperson for many years. She served on the Board of Advisors at the United Theological Seminary of Ohio. Nancy was very active with Albion and the college and was instrumental in the development of the Albion College Held Equestrian Center in 2004.
Nancy’s local memberships include P.E.O., ELT, and Delta Kappa Gamma. Her professional memberships include Phi Beta Kappa, Kappa Delta Phi, and Phi Kappa Phi.
Her hobbies and special interests include restoration of wood, stained glass, metal refinishing, travel, reading, rock collecting, flying, sky diving and cooking.
The family will receive friends on Friday February 10, 2017 from 4:30 to 7:00 at the J. Kevin Tidd Funeral Home 811 Finley Drive Albion, MI 49224. Services to Celebrate her life will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday February 11, 2017 at Goodrich Chapel at Albion College.
Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to Kids “N” Stuff Children’s Museum, and Raven Hill Discovery Center, East Jordan, MI, Albion College Held Equestrian Center.
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