She was born in Davis, WV, in 1932 but grew up in Sussex County. She attended The University of Maryland where she met her husband, James I. Baginski, whom she married in 1954. They embarked on a military career in the United States Air Force that spanned thirty years. Along the way, they grew to a family of seven with a constant collection of dogs, cats and horses. Their military service took them to North Carolina, Okinawa/Japan, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas, Washington DC, California, Illinois, and Florida.
Nancy had a passion for animals (in her youth, she bought a mail order dog – much to her mother’s dismay) but was particularly involved with horses. She was largely self-taught but had early guidance from future industry titans. While in Texas, she was the leading promoter for establishing competitions for ponies at the local & state levels which previously did not exist. She had an extraordinary ability to identify talent in untried horses and had several nationally-recognized horses to her credit.
Her family will remember her obsession with all things sports as it relates to St. Louis (think Cardinals and Blues) or Missouri (think Missouri State University and University of Missouri) and her wonderful sense of humor. But, above all, she was a lover of all things family. She never missed a birthday, anniversary or other significant event and was constantly searching for the “next thing” to get the family together. Often, the definition of family included her children’s friends, her friend’s children or anyone in need. The door was, quite literally, always open.
Nancy and Jim retired from the Air Force and moved to Branchville, New Jersey where Nancy established PasTime Farm on Haggerty road. Nancy was a member of the Sussex County Horse Show Committee for the New Jersey State Fair. They subsequently moved to Missouri to be closer to grandchildren and support their daughter’s equestrian facility.
Predeceased by her husband Jim September 23, 2013, Nancy is survived by her loving family, a daughter, Teresa M. Ruch and her husband Richard of Wantage, NJ, a daughter, Susan M Baginski, of Wildwood, MO., sons David J. Baginski of Ballwin, MO, and Paul A. Baginski of Glenn Allen, VA., a daughter, Amy L. Dodds and her husband Mark, of O’Fallon, MO. She had several grandchildren including Rachael Hernandez and her husband David, Laura Slates and her husband Stuart, Patrick Baginski and Will Baginski, and step-grandchildren Rhonda Moritz, Richard Ruch, Jr., and Heather Gardinier Crisler. She was also a great-grandmother to Lucia and Kristina Hernandez. She is also survived by her sisters Phyllis Garber and Lois Pellow of Sussex County, and Shelia Hall of Greenville, NC and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral Services will be at Wood Funeral Home,16 main St. Branchville, NJ. on Saturday, August 14, 2021. Visitation will be from 10:00 - 12:00; followed by a 12 noon service interment to follow at Frankford Plains Cemetery. Online condolences may be offered at www.woodfuneralhome.com
The family requests donations, in lieu of flowers, to Father John’s Animal House, 50 Father Johns Ln, Lafayette, NJ 07848.
