Nancy Anna Wyant Blatchford 1932 - 2017

WYANT, BLATCHFORD, ANDERSON

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-volunteer (email)
Date: 4/11/2017 at 12:08:27

Sioux City Journal
25 March 2017

Nancy Anna Wyant Blatchford, 84, of Onawa, Iowa, passed away Thursday, March 23, 2017, at Burgess Health Center in Onawa.

Funeral services will be 10:30 A.M. Monday, March 27, 2017, at the United Methodist Church in Onawa, with Pastor Dennis Burns officiating. Burial will follow in the Onawa Cemetery. Visitation will be 5:00 to 8:00 P.M. Sunday, March 26, 2017, with a prayer service at 7:00 P.M. at the Rush Family Chapel in Onawa. Arrangements are under the direction of Rush Family Care Service in Onawa.

A life worth living…..today we said goodbye to a wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and little sister. We are all in awe of how one person could pack all that was done and accomplished in 84 short years. After 65 years of marriage, a young couple in love from Maskell, Nebraska, find themselves in Onawa with a lifetime of memories surrounded by loving family.

Nancy was born in Ree Heights, South Dakota, on September 24, 1932, the youngest child of six, to Bruce and Minnie (Anderson) Wyant, who were immigrants from Sweden. The family moved from SD and eventually settled in Maskell, NE. She graduated from Maskell High School and went on to graduate from National Business Training in Sioux City, IA, and worked at the Sioux City Crockery. She was united in marriage on November 25, 1951, in Maskell, NE, to Roger Kent Blatchford. She immediately became a military wife and followed him to El Paso, Texas, where she spent her time working in the El Paso National Bank. Roger was shipped out to Germany, so Nancy returned home to work in Sioux City at the First National Bank.

After returning from the military, Roger Kent joined Nancy in Sioux City and attended barber school. Graduation came around and Roger found a job working in Fouts' Barbershop in Onawa in 1954. The young couple settled in an apartment on Tenth Street and soon began a family. Along came their first child, Vicki Ann (Dan Lorenzen) of Storm Lake. In 1956, Jeffrey Kent (Margaret) of Onawa was born. More children were to follow so they needed more space and purchased a house on 15th Street. In 1957 came a second son, Timothy Kirk (Janice) of Onawa. In 1958, their second daughter arrived, Pamela Kay (Kenneth Fangohr) of Lawrence, KS. Their third son arrived in 1960, Thomas Kevin (Martha) of Owensville, MO. Prior to the arrival of their sixth child, Lori LaVon (Michael Russell) of Mocksville, NC, they purchased their home of 55 years on 12th Street. In 1966 their seventh child was born, Carla Jane of Onawa. After raising her own children, she shared her home with foreign exchange student Aurelie Peltier-Franc of Paris, France, and Sandi Grom of Colorado. The house was always full of kids, friends, and her neighborhood babysitting service.

Nancy filled her days with her family, but shared her talents at the Onawa United Methodist Church after joining in 1954. She was active in the Sarah Circle, UMW where she held office, took on duties in Sunday School, and many committees. She was quick to offer help in preparing food or supplying a treat for the volunteers in the church. Her love of cooking culminated in the annual cookie fair where she shared her recipes from a year's worth of cookbook searches.

As her children grew, Nancy participated in the community working for Dr. Reinke's dental office, Ford Apparel, as well as the Monona County Fair secretary/treasurer. She was a proud member of Eastern Star receiving recognition for 50 years of service.
As active as she was, her children and grandchildren always looked forward to her cinnamon rolls, buttermilk pancakes, pink stuff, and Christmas treats. She enjoyed many sewing activities and many handmade Easter dresses could be found in her closet come Easter morning. Her ring pickles will be missed, along with the canning room which held many jars of her garden goodies. She is the only one with a dedicated Lefse pan and knew how to use it.

As if her life was not full enough, she enjoyed many adventures. She traveled to Europe for her 50th anniversary, took a trip to Alaska, and saw a rare night shuttle launch, all of which is commemorated in her plate collection. One summer was full of hoeing beans with her friends the Mortons. She challenged herself trying to outbid the Reynolds in pinochle. The discovery of a unique garage sale item with her friend Margaret gave her joy. She spent her life unable to swim but somehow managed to get to the lake to water ski on her special planks and teach all her children to ski whether it was at Swan Lake or Decatur Lake. The lake outings were not complete without hot dogs and a buried watermelon. She was a late bloomer when it came to driving, but only once did the trip end at a bar. There were many trips to South Dakota to visit her sister's farm to let the kids blow off some stink. The trips to her sister in Sioux City always ended up with her getting serenaded with the McDonald's jingle.
The celebration of Nancy the wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and little sister is part of the example Nancy set. The tradition of commitment to family runs deep with her and each of her siblings, all celebrating their 50th wedding anniversaries. She was preceded in death by her parents, Bruce and Minnie Wyant; three sisters: Velma Steptoe, Evaon Doren, Leola Steele; and one brother, Eston Wyant; four brother-in-laws and one sister-in-law.

Christmas is a special time for the family that begins with Nancy's dedication to make every Christmas count and every Christmas Eve a tribute to her father-in-law. Today we, the survivors: husband, children, sister, son-in-laws, daughter-in-laws, 17 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren, are the living examples of her charity, dedication, and commitment to family.

We offer this up in the words of our ancestors (a Swedish blessing):
I Jesu Navn (In Jesus Name)
Gaar vi til Bords (We go to the Table)
At
spice og Drikke (We eat and drink)
Paa bit Ord; (At thy Word)
Dig Gud til Are (In God's Honor)
Os til Gavn, (and for our Benefit)
Saa faar vi Mad (We receive the food)
I Jesu Navn, (In Jesus name)
Amen (Amen)

Memorials in Nancy's memory are preferred to be directed to the Onawa United Methodist Church.

Monona Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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