It was such fun and chaos (younger siblings) going to the Shaver home with my friend Sally when we were little. I  always felt  love in that home ( cookies and milk helped)....I was always amazed by your Mother, Sally...she always had "it" together. Having lost my own mother just a few days ago, I understand your loss. Peace and Love,

This is an especially bittersweet Mother's Day for me. My Mom had the same best friend, Nancy, since she was 18 years old and they were in nursing school together. My mother died in 2011 with Lewy-Body dementia, a particularly horrible dementia that causes frightening hallucinations and paranoia. My dad died with dementia in 2006.

I had been to a particular restaurant the day my dad died and came home to a message from Nancy that he had passed. We were at that same restaurant with neighbors the night my mom died and just last week we were there for lunch when Nancy died. The funny thing is we rarely go to that restaurant and I told my husband that someone would die if we went there and I was right.

Yesterday was Nancy's funeral. My sister and I were there together, representing the bond between two families that spanned over 60 years. Nancy never gave up being my mother's best friend. They talked on the phone every day of their lives. My childhood is a memory of answering the phone and Nancy would ask for Mom and they would laugh, cry, discuss problems, politics, sports, children and anything and everything. They never ran out of things to say.

When my wonderful mother, a mother with the sharpest wit and tons of charm started fading, Nancy was by her side, either literally sitting with her and holding her hand or talking every morning on the phone, even if every other minute was listening to my mother say the same thing she had said the minute before. When my mother unexpectedly took a turn for the worst and died within a few terrible hours from septicemia, Nancy raced to the hospital but arrived just after she passed. I know when Nancy died last week, my mother was there in spirit, welcoming her home for a wonderful reunion.

I was able yesterday to properly grieve for my mother, something that has been a long time coming because dealing with someone with dementia is a new grief every day, a numbness really, that acts as a protectant and when the end comes, it's a relief. Thank you Nancy for being the best and most nurturing person I have ever known besides my mother. You will be missed but your life and love are a testament to women and mothers everywhere.

My thoughts and prayers are with your whole family.

God Bless you all in this time of sorrow.  Syd has always been such a great friend and sister to me, I know she learned that from her wonderful parents.  I am sorry to not be there to give all of you hugs.

Mr. Shaver my deepest sympathy goes  to you and all of your family. I was fortunate to have met you and Nancy through my friendship with Syd. I am holding you my prayers.

Dear Carrell,
Nancy and I became friends in early 1973, shortly after we moved to Tempe, and I was invited to join the "exclusive card club".  Samba was the game, and eight of us travelled all over the valley to spend a few hours laughing, eating and playing Samba.  The "Card Club' became a focus for social life for many of us, and the husbands were invited to our 
Christmas party--when we ALL became lasting friends--to this day. 

 Nancy was a beautiful woman, soft spoken and always upbeat with a ready laugh.   She was also a great cook and I have several of her recipes.  We shared the love of reading. 

 We are in Georgia now, and when we visit Arizona again, we will be sad not to see Nancy.  But we will look forward to seeing you. We will always remember her with love and we grieve with you and your family, who will miss her terribly and forever.  Gil and I send love and blessings to you all.

Carrell, we are very sorry for your loss, we are always around and enjoy very much seeing you, please come over and just talk sometime.  If you do decide to head up this way please stop in or just let us know where and when you will be close and we will intercept you.

Carrell, It is with great sadness that we send our heartfelt sympathy to you and your family.  Nancy was a good friend to us, and we are so sorry that we will not be able to come for her service.  We are coming May 10 for Julia's graduation  You know that you will be in our thoughts and prayers and we will call you when we get to Phoenix.  We have good memories of all our times together.  Our love, Jody & Stan

OBITUARY

Nancy Mae Shaver

March 1, 1932 – April 28, 2016

A.L. Moore-Grimshaw Mortuaries Bethany Chapel

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