Eva Lynn Ross Nachazel

Eva Lynn Nachazel passed away unexpectedly on February 16, 2008 peacefully in her sleep. We believe her passing was due to a pneumonia that overwhelmed the community this Winter. She is survived by her children; Susan with her two sons: Doug, Matt and two daughters: Deanna, Erica; David with his three sons; Nick, Zach, Jon, and Will with a daughter, Kaela. This includes eight grand children, one great grandson and another great grandchild on the way. Services were held at Covell Funeral Home on February 23, 2008 at 3:00 pm.  

Lynn was a natural leader whose winning presence allowed her to take control of various situations with ease. Equipped with a clear and calculating focus, she possessed a tough-minded, “take charge” attitude. She had the ability to make even routine situations seem exciting, and she was at ease with the role of playing problem solver. Lynn always sought out a scene where the action was. Sociable, analytical and pleasant, Lynn was an individual who enjoyed life's challenges.

Her parents were George and Laura Ross. Lynn was raised in Savannah Georgia and Cleveland Ohio. Always able to express herself well, Lynn possessed strong interpersonal skills. She was optimistic in her outlook on life and was able at all times to be open and direct in her communication. Armed with a great wit, Lynn was raised to be accepting of others and to implement a strong personal work ethic.

Blessed with a balanced attitude, Lynn was able to relate well with others. Her occasional role as family mediator gave her the opportunity to ease tense situations when they occurred. Lynn was raised with one brother, George R. Ross III. Lynn had a strong desire to be treated fairly and would readily offer others the same fairness in return. Lynn rarely talked about herself but one recurring thing she brought up was a story about her brother Rutty. He loved chemistry and as we all know he grew up to be just that a chemist but not before he tried various potions at home. One such afternoon, left to his own demise there came a sudden thunder, followed but a gust of wind and Rutty being thrown out the door. The entire kitchen had blown up leaving Rutty's barely hurt, his eyebrows only singed. She laughed about this right up to the few days before she went home to be with the Lord. Rutty left patents for applications to tires that prolong their wear. He had contracts with Goodrich and other tire companies. She loved her brother more than he ever knew, she felt he was like a twin and she admired his brilliance. Sadly he passed only a few months before her. We don't believe this was coincidence.

As a young child, Lynn showed her creative ability in many ways. She was outgoing and animated. Lynn enjoyed new activities and pursued a variety of interests. She took part in swimming, and dance. She was a Girl Scout. In her spare time she enjoyed making doll clothes and jewelry with grandma Ross. Lynn's memorable achievements included traveling to almost every state with her grandpa and grandma Artley.

Travel and vacations were experiences that Lynn truly enjoyed. She preferred to seek out excitement wherever she went and she was partial to vacations that were casual and laid back with an atmosphere of “live and let live.” She was willing to leave her plans open and flexible, just in case something more interesting came along. Favorite vacations included Daytona Beach, Florida, Wisconsin, San Francisco and Georgia.

Known to others as a focused, logical, open-minded and somewhat driven individual, Lynn was able to utilize these qualities to succeed in high school. Her curious nature was spurred by her ability to maximize her personal learning style through employing a hands-on approach. She was good with facts and had an excellent memory. Lynn enjoyed some subjects in school more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was Social Studies, History, English and Geography. She graduated from Alameda High School in 1961.

In the spring of 1961 Lynn exchanged wedding vows with David Alan Nachazel at the Catholic Church of Alameda California. Lynn was attentive to David's feelings and he to hers when he applied ketchup on all his food however, she became an excellent cook in later years. She charmed David and others with her gift for being able to give freely and generously. A good listener with an engaging personality, Lynn was able to bring pleasure and unexpected humor to the relationship. David spent several years in the Navy away from home. Susan was born in 1963 and met her father for the first time when she was six months old. The family moved from California to East Jordan Michigan to be near the Nachazel family. Lynn and David had two sons David Jr. and James William (Will) in 1967 and 1968.

Lynn was a full time mother as well as a career woman. She enjoyed spending time in the garden, canning and she was a spotless housekeeper. On Sundays Lynn was a Catechism teacher at St. Patrick's Church. On the weekend the whole family went to deer camp where some twenty to forty family members roasted hot dogs, mushroom hunted, canoed, snow mobiled, sat by the fire and played cards. In 1973 Lynn took a state exam for secretarial positions, placing in the top ten percent, soon after she had a car accident that rendered her a quadriplegic. She rallied to over come the challenges with being paralyzed as well as still being a parent. Even from a wheelchair the goal of higher education became important to Lynn. Again, her direct, “down to earth” approach served her well. She was able to absorb complex concepts and had an acute sense of how things worked. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Social Work degree from Michigan State in 1989. She also pursued graduate school, earning her MSW in Social Work from Michigan State in 1990. Her favorite courses were Literature and Psychology. Lynn was an advocate for the handicapper rights on campus, implementing mandated changes needed to make all buildings accessible. She often helped friends and strangers with advice needed to pursue legal matters related to accessibility long after graduating.

Lynn's natural leadership qualities placed her in consideration for public recognition, earning her accolades for her many and varied efforts throughout her life. Some of her most prestigious awards included being on the Deans List in College. There are many other awards Lynn received throughout her life but Susan stated she had not found all of her mother's paperwork.

Lynn was a gifted problem solver who worked hard to help accomplish group goals. This skill made her a wonderful asset to the various groups and organizations to which she belonged. Always matter-of-fact about what needed to be done, Lynn worked steadily to meet any organization's goals. In college,Phi alpha Beta Chapter and Social Work Honor Society. Throughout her mid years, Lynn was an active member of the Big Brothers and Big sisters.

Friends and acquaintances found Lynn an easy woman to get to know, and those close to her would often praise her open, practical style of communication and relaxed approach to life in general. Lynn was uncomplicated and straightforward in her relationships, which allowed her to accept people for what they were. While growing up, some of her best friends were Scooter and Kathy. Later in life became friends with Yvonne Engler, Pat Pickard, Brian McKinney, and a host of others both professional, spiritual and friendship.

Lynn was a flexible worker who was able to draw the best from others around her. A persuasive individual who was quick to make necessary decisions, Lynn's strengths included being able to think with clarity. She was a leader who sought impact for her decisions. Gifted with an incredible ability to read body language, Lynn was able to positively manipulate situations and motivate others in order to get a task completed. She was a good negotiator who enjoyed new challenges. Lynn could multi-task, and she was endowed with entrepreneurial spirit, allowing her to think beyond standard norms when it came to resolving issues in her work environment. Her primary occupation was a Disability Examiner, employed for the State of Michigan.

Lynn enjoyed her leisure time later in life by taking part in various hobbies. She had a consuming passion for life in many areas. She put this creativity toward all of her pastimes. Her favorite pursuits were studying philosophy, religion, and counseling as well as reading two to three books a day. She was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also eager to share her interests with others.

Lynn was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were the Olympics and Ice Skating. She enjoyed court room drama, medical and cold case file TV shows as well as reality TV shows like, The Bachelor and American Idol.

Lynn was active in studying ancestry and reconnecting with lost family ties. She recently in the past few years had connected with family in Ohio and this brought her much joy. Lynn was a member of several community groups, including the William Brewster Society a direct descendant of the Mayflower. Politically, Lynn was a sporter of the Democratic Party and eagerly participated with MoveOn.Org to encourage Democratic voting in the State Of Michigan.

Lynn held close traditional values as well as progressive Christian studies. Her faith was one of the most important things to her as her home is filled with books and hundreds of printed material. Her favorite Evangelist is Rev Spong. She is a member of the Jesus Seminar and the Westar Institute. Lynn did not attend church but she was looking into finding a Lutheran Church to attend. She would have loved the pastor that officiated at her funeral.

Lynn was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. One of Lynn's cherished family pets was named Liberstein Van Eckie The Third, she spoke of him often. Her recent beloved pets include; Spanky a Maltese, Min Min a Russian Blue cat and Sammy a persian.

She used logical analysis of her retirement options in order to ensure her retirement would be fulfilling. Still, she was able to easily adapt to possible changes and enjoyed just having fun and being relaxed. In retirement, she found new pleasure in reading books nonstop and using the computer to learn about world events and spiritual quests.

In closing Lynn was the kind of person who could win others over easily. A concrete communicator, she relied on her senses to increase her involvement and awareness of others. She was always able to provide amusing repartee to her friends and acquaintances, offering a seemingly endless supply of quips, anecdotes, jokes and stories, this is an understatement, laughter is the essence of who she was. If Lynn had a theme song written about her, it might well have been “Don't Worry, Be Happy.” She enjoyed her life and the experience of living it in the, "Here and Now." One of the most notable things about Lynn was her giving heart. She would give at times until she left little for herself and it didn't matter whether you were family or friend. This is how everyone will remember Eva Lynn Nachazel, a huge loving spirit in a tiny body who was far more than the wheels that held her.

We Will Never Be The Same Until We Are With You Again We Miss You

God's New Angel. I'm Proud Of You Mom, This Was Your Ultimate Graduation And You Even Did That Well! You Left Us So Many Beautiful Things, You Literally Transformed Us Forever - I Know Your Light Is Bright Sweet Mother