Nance was born in St. Louis, Missouri, a daughter of Norman Ivers and Ruth Sexton Sargent.
When Nance was young, her family moved to Maine, settling on picturesque Peaks Island. She attended Portland schools, graduating from Portland High School. Soon after graduation, Nance married Fred Laughlin and had two children together, Philip and Gail Laughlin.
Nance continued to live and raise her family on Peaks.
Through the years, she worked as the “Island” beautician, and for many years, she would style the model’s hair for the annual Bernie’s fashion show in Portland.
She worked as a cashier at the Island Grocery store and later as a dispatcher for the Portland Police Department for 20 years until retirement. She then moved to Kingman AZ for the warm dry air that helped with the complications that came with her MS.
She took pride in her beautifully landscaped yard and loved sitting in the sun. Nance enjoyed playing the penny slots at the Casino, going out to lunch with friends , and attending car shows where she often showed her own pride and joy, “tweedy bird” a bright yellow 1982 El Camino .
She loved to travel, with one of the highlights being able to visit her son in Italy while he was living there.
Nance will be remembered for her love of animals, at one point owning five dogs and three cats at the same time.
She would often laugh and say, “animals don’t talk back like children”.
Nance was predeceased by her parents; a daughter, Gail Laughlin, and brother Scott Sargent.
She leaves behind her son Philip Laughlin and wife Christine Laughlin; grandsons, Zack Labbe, Matthew and Nicholas Laughlin; her brother Norman, (Sonny), Sargent; nephew Tim Sargent and his wife Amy and great nephew Gunner.
The family would like to send a heartfelt thank you to the wonderful staff at Springbrook Nursing Care who took special care of Nance.
A celebration of life of her life will be held from 4-7 pm on Tuesday, December 13, 2022, at Jones Rich & Barnes Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St. Portland.
Please visit www.jonesrichandbarnes.com to sign Nance’s online guest book.
In lieu of flowers, please send gifts to the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, PO Box 336, Westbrook, ME 04098, or go to www.arlgp.org/memorial
