Mrs. Nancy L. Hartley, of Clinton Township passed away May 7, 2011. She was born in Detroit July 19, 1944. She was a homemaker and cosmetologist, and original owner of Suzanne's Hair Fashion's, in Detroit. She was a longtime member of the Warren Woods Church of the Nazarene. She is survived by her high school sweetheart and loving husband Robert. Compassionate and loving mother of Suzanne (Jeffrey) Valken and James (Linda). She is the daughter of Arthur (Bob) Barr. She is survived by her two sisters, Carolyn (John) Smith and Barbara Robarge. Also surviving are her six grandchildren, Lauren, Douglass, Melissa, Nicholas, Kimberly, and Kellie. She is predeceased by her mother Dorothy J. Barr. Visitation will be Tuesday 2-8 p.m. at Resurrection Funeral Home 40800 Hayes, Clinton Township, MI. 48038. A funeral service will be held Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the Warren Woods Church of the Nazarene, 14300 E. Thirteen Mile Rd., Warren, MI. 48094.
If anyone ever truly cared for other people in the world, it would have to be Nancy L. Hartley. She was a warmhearted and well-liked individual. These wonderful traits came easily to her, perhaps because she was such a sociable and amiable person. She tried to do her best to make certain that those around her had whatever they needed. Nancy was a talkative person who typically said what she meant, but she was tactful at all times. Overall, others felt that Nancy was someone who cared deeply for others. She was the person others could go to when they needed consoling.
She was born on July 19, 1944. She first greeted the world in Detroit, Michigan. Her parents were Arthur and Dorothy Barr. She grew up in Sterling Heights and Warren Michigan and California. During her childhood, she learned to be reliable and respectful. She was an obedient child who wanted to win the favor of others. She found it easy to show sympathy and to perform kind acts for others. These admirable qualities would become a part of Nancy's personality throughout her life.
Though Nancy was frequently the one to initiate games and activities with her family, she was also quite often the family member who took the role of referee. She was a peacemaker who would frequently work to keep those usual family quarrels at bay. But even though Nancy and her family had the typical conflicts and squabbles, they all cared deeply for one another. She was raised with two sisters, an older sister Carol and younger sister Barb.
As someone who reveled in the sheer joy of her experiences, Nancy was always enthusiastic about new adventures. One thing she will certainly be remembered for is that when she got up in the mornings, she always hit the floor running, ready and raring to go. As a young girl, she enjoyed being a Girl Scout, one of her favorite pastimes.
For Nancy, school routines were never a problem although she generally preferred variety to structure. She was able to start a project and work right through to completion and she was able to do it quickly and efficiently. She was also quite adept at managing details, due to being observant and quick at picking up on new things. She graduated from Lincoln High School in 1963.
For Nancy, the high school years were not just about school. There were many other fun and exciting things to do and experience. A lot of that centered around her friends. Being so outgoing and talkative, Nancy was able to make many friends during high school. Some of her best friends included Pat Yeakey, Pam Pagels, and later in life many people who all loved her dearly.
Nancy was a faithful and loving person. Some would even call her sentimental and a romantic at heart. Her kindness and consideration radiated an aura of warmth to those around her. She cared what others thought and carried that into her relationship with Robert Barr, her high school sweethearts. They were married at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Detroit, Michigan, on June 6, 1964. Compassionate and devoted, Nancy worked hard to make her new life partner happy.
Harmony was important to Nancy and she made every effort to maintain it with her family. Nancy and Robert had two children, a daughter, Suzanne and a son, James. The children would often fill her heart with pride with some of the things they accomplished. It was part of Nancy’s nurturing and fostering nature to make sure that the children were raised in safe environment.
She tried her best to teach about responsibilities and the rewards that can go along with it. She tried to maintain this learning and encouragement when the family took trips and vacations. Later in life, she was blessed with six grandchildren, Lauren, Douglass, Melissa, Nicholas, Kimberly, and Kellie. She was always conscious of the feelings possessed by others around her. She was reasonable and understanding. As a result, Nancy was quick to solve disputes and did so without much fuss. Her secret of success in this area was simple: she would listen before she would act.
Nancy was the kind of person who would readily move into action in order to help others. She was appreciated and respected, and she could find value in the opinions of others while being passionate about her own values and beliefs. She was a born list-maker and was great at creating and sticking to schedules.
Taking her work seriously came naturally to Nancy. She expected the same commitment and effort from those around her. Nancy was a great team player, someone who cooperated well with others. She was what some would call a “people person,” something which was best demonstrated in her good communication skills. Nancy was a steady worker, one who was realistic about schedules. The kind of details that would give family members and work colleagues fits were situations that Nancy handled well. She could understand the details without getting lost in the "big picture.”
These abilities and this attitude seemed to come naturally for Nancy. They were things she did even during her first jobs. She was a homemaker and cosmetologist, and original owner of Suzanne's Hair Fashion's, in Detroit. She brought harmony to her work environment, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done, while always maintaining respect for her colleagues.
A methodical woman, Nancy enjoyed spending time working on her various hobbies. She had no problem following all of the steps and instructions on a given project and was proud of the fact that she could have something to show for her efforts. She developed a number of interests throughout her life, including scrapbooking, reading, and computer games.
Her high moral standards and traditional values served Nancy well within her faith. Religion and faith were important to her. Nancy was a member of Warren Woods Church of the Nazarene for 14 years. She was well-respected because she was such an outgoing individual who sought to help in any manner that she could.
Since it was easy for Nancy to meet and get to know new people, she quickly made friends. Once she met those new friends, she loved sharing stories and talking about "the good old days". She kept in touch with her old friends and continued to make new ones. Nancy's favorite vacation destination was "UP North", at the cottage. Her love for animals was still present during these years as was obvious with her involvement with Molly, Buster Brown, and Ginger, her granddogs.
Nancy Hartley left us on May 7, 2011. She passed away Henry Ford Hospital, Clinton Township, Michigan, after a long battle from a stroke and several infections. She was preceded in death by her mother Dorothy J. Barr. She is survived by husband Robert, children Suzanne (Jeffrey) Valken and James (Linda), her father Arthur (Bob) Barr, her two sisters, Carolyn (John) Smith and Barbara Robarge,and her six grandchildren, Lauren, Douglass, Melissa, Nicholas, Kimberly, and Kellie. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Resurrection Funeral Home in Clinton Township, MI. A funeral service was held May 11, 2011 at the Warren Woods Church of the Nazarene in Warren, MI.
Nancy was a fantastic conversationalist who could engage just about anyone in a discussion. And whenever she said something, she meant it. Nancy was down-to-earth, outgoing and gregarious. She was, without question, the type of person who enjoyed experiencing things firsthand. She was practical and sensible, but what friends and family will remember her for the most is the fact that she was so understanding and kind. It can surely be said that everyone whose life she touched will miss Nancy L Hartley.
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