Nancy Sanders Utley

The first girl born on New Year’s Day (1933) in Memphis, TN - Nancy Lee came into this world a firecracker and kept that infectious energy til her very last breath. The second of six children (3 sisters and 2 brothers), Nancy cherished her family above all else. She said many times that they may not have been rich, but they were rich in love!! Her greatest dream was to be as good a mother as her own, and to marry a man as good as her daddy.

Nancy met George Utley when she was 17 years old at the skating rink, and quickly fell head over heels in love for the then Southside High star athlete. Nancy and George would marry in 1951 in San Antonio in a chapel at Ft. Sam Houston, raise 4 amazing children, and live 42 beautiful years together deeply in love.

Nancy was a successful real estate broker for 14 years, when her then retired police captain husband George Utley first started bringing home hubcaps he’d found lying on the side of the road. Nancy found these hubcaps beautiful and was fascinated by collecting them and admiring them as decorations. One weekend when Nancy decided to sell some of the unwanted family junk in a carport sale, many people attending the sale caught notice of the hubcaps that had quickly begun filling the garage and backyard. As fate would have it, these people wanted to buy them! Nancy, being an astute business lady, recognized that by chance she had happened upon a real need — a place where one could buy a replacement hubcap, a true revolutionary discovery for the industry!

In 1977, Nancy Utley opened her very first hubcap store on Getwell in Memphis — followed by 42 more stores in 2 and a half years, and thus what started out as a hobby soon became one of the fastest growing businesses in America. Hub Cap Annie has appeared on numerous radio and television programs in each city where she has opened a store, most notably People Magazine and the Real People Television show. Some great American once said to be successful you just have to “find a need and fill it”. That is what Nancy Utley did as Hub Cap Annie, and she loved every single minute of it!

Nancy Utley’s infamous story not only continues through the dozens of storefronts she’s opened (many of those owned and operated by her children and family members today) but also through all of the lives she’s touched by purely being herself - the most vivacious, “mouth of the south”, one of a kind, truly incredible woman she was. In 1992, her husband George Utley sadly passed away at age 62. The following year, Nancy moved to Las Vegas, NV, prompted by the birth of her granddaughter. Las Vegas is where Nancy would spend many wonderful years in retirement, but don’t worry, she’d be close to hub caps still as an influential part in the success of Hub Cap Annie Las Vegas (30+ years).

While living in Las Vegas, Nancy met her life’s second love and significant other, Bob “Mr. Bob” Lawrence. For many wonderful years, Nancy and Bob spent winters in Vegas, and summers at Bob’s cabin outside of Boise, ID - all while entertaining their loving grandchildren. Nancy and Bob were inseparable, until April 2018 when Bob passed away at age 82. Nancy’s life continued to revolve around her family and her grandchildren, with whom she went affectionately by “Mamaw Annie.” She attended ball games, recitals, graduations, weddings, and many celebrations with her loved ones. There are not enough words in the dictionary or minutes in the day to capture the tremendous impact that Nancy Utley’s life has had on so many. The story of Hub Cap Annie will live on forever through those who love her near and far, and her family will miss her until they see her again one sweet day.

She is survived by her youngest brother Tommy Sanders, her four children (George Utley Jr., Linda Sanders, Dan Utley, Rose Bowe) 6 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren, and more loved ones than one could possibly count.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, October 21, 2023 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM at Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, 3700 North Germantown Parkway, Bartlett, TN 38133.

A celebration of life will occur Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 10:00 AM and burial will follow in Memorial Gardens.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MemphisFuneralGermantownParkway.com for the Utley family.