Nancy Colleen Barry

Nancy Colleen Barry passed away at her home in Las Vegas on December 13, 2021, following a battle with cancer. In true Nancy fashion, after receiving her diagnosis, she started planning trips to Webster, a trip to Florida, a 50-year class reunion, time enjoying the entertainment of Las Vegas and mostly time with those she loved.

Born January 9, 1952 to William and Virginia Barry, Nancy graduated from Webster (SD)High School where she developed many life-long relationships which were nurtured throughout her life. Nancy then graduated from South Dakota State University where she continued to develop friendships that would stay with her for the next 50 years.

Following graduation, she headed to Las Vegas where she had spent summers during her childhood. Nancy started in the gaming industry and finished her career at Caesar’s Palace 40 years later as a cage supervisor. She worked with many wonderful co-workers and told numerous funny stories about life on the Las Vegas Strip, as only Nancy could.

Nancy married Ken Lowden who quickly became the family chef. She was happy to relinquish that role giving her more time to spend with people.

Those who knew Nancy well understood she had a passion for living and valued family and friends over everything else. It was important for Nancy to stay connected with those whom she knew and loved. There was never a Christmas, birthday or holiday which passed that Nancy didn’t remember people with a handwritten letter or card.

She had a gift for making each person feel special and will be remembered for sharing her time with so many people throughout her life. One of Nancy’s best qualities was her ability to listen and recall what people were saying. She knew from whom she had received which gift from, where she was when she bought decorations and crafts and which collections she had started for which person. That ability meant that every time she used a gift or unpacked decorations, she was always reciting the wonderful memories attached to each item.

Nancy’s generosity extended to all those she loved. She and her mom shared a love of Christmas, Christmas crafts, Christmas ornaments and of course, making mint fudge. Throughout the years, hundreds of people were the recipient of her generous spirit. For Nancy, the joy was not just in giving, but in the making or selecting of the gift. And the gifts she really loved, she quickly declared them “a screamer.”

Weekly family dinners and game playing were a highlight of her week whether she was at her home in Las Vegas or her summer home in Webster. In her opinion, there was always time for another game.

And there was always time to attend the school activities of her nieces and nephews. Some of her favorite times were sitting in the bleachers cheering on those she loved.

Nancy also loved the water and spent thousands of hours boating at Lake Mead and Pickerel Lake, often with her husband Ken serving as the captain of the boat. Teaching others to ski was as fun as skiing herself. Sharing her passions with others always brought a smile.

Never one to shy away from work, Nancy loved being involved with projects. Whether it was cleaning crystal with her sister Kathy or building rock walls with her brother Bill. Nancy was always there to lend a helping hand.

Nancy loved traditions and wasn’t one who easily accepted a lot of change in her life. She often joked she was born 50 years too late as she loved older music, crocheting and the simple pleasures in life. Time with her dog, Susie, one of the many Boston Terriers that Nancy spoiled over the years, proved the adage, “Love me, love my dog.”

She is preceded in death by her parents, William and Virginia Barry, and her husband Kenneth Lowden.

Those left to celebrate her life are her sister Kathy Sannes of Webster, SD; her brother William (Bill) Barry (Mary) of Las Vegas, NV; her special friend Jan Barraza (Joe) of Las Vegas, NV. Nancy loved children and was fortunate enough to share in the lives of her 7 nieces and nephews and 12 great nieces and nephews. She also left behind her beloved Susie who was her constant companion and will now call home with Jan and Joe.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of your choice in memory of Nancy C. Barry.