Nancy M. Van Hook, 76, of Bettendorf, Iowa passed away on Saturday, September 12, 2020 after a 28 year battle with Parkinson’s at Clarissa C Cook Hospice House. A visitation will be held on Friday, September 18, 2020 from 4-6pm at Weerts Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers memorials in Nancy’s name may be made to the Michel J. Fox Foundation, the Clarissa C Cook Hospice House, or the First Presbyterian Church of Davenport, IA.
Nancy was born in Dayton, Ohio to Florence and Frank Maharg. Growing up in the Oakwood Community, she graduated from Oakwood High School in 1961. Nancy then went to Albion College in Albion, Michigan majoring in Home Economics and Elementary Education. After graduation in 1965, she went on to Chicago working at Marshall Fields.
After a year in downtown Chicago, she decided to venture on to San Bernardino, California to take a 3rd grade teaching position. In 1967 her mother suddenly passed away, so that summer she returned to Dayton to be with her father. It was during that summer break that she meet Craig Van Hook. After a long distant courtship, they were married on April 20, 1968. They remained in Dayton for 7 years, Nancy teaching in the Kettering School system and becoming the mother of two boys David and Eric.
In 1975 their life changed when Craig accepted a position with Deere & Company. With Deere they lived in such exotic places as Horicon, Wisconsin; Waterloo, Iowa; Mannheim, Germany; Torreon, Mexico, and Edmonton, Canada. During all those moves they passed through the Quad Cities.
With all the travels Nancy became an avid collector of antiques. She loved to entertain and you knew, having dinner at the Van Hook’s a game would follow before dessert. One of her proudest moments was when she road her bicycle across Iowa in RAGBRAI with her husband and son. A big accomplishment for someone to soon be diagnosed with Parkinson’s. She was an active member of her Alpha Chi Omega Alumina Group, PEO Chapter IR, and the First Presbyterian Church.
She is survived by her husband Craig of 52 years; sons David (Jennifer) and Eric (Ericka); two granddaughters Amanda and Avery; and her sister Harriet. She is preceded in death by her parents, and her sister Judith Williamson.
