Mavis Pauline Nance
October 10, 1933 — May 26, 2022
Mavis Pauline Nance, 88, of Marion, Iowa, passed away on Thursday, May 26, 2022. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, at Christ Community United Methodist Church in Marion, conducted by Pastor Becky High. There will be greeting time starting at 4:00 p.m., service will begin at 4:30 p.m. A meal for everyone will follow. Private committal services will take place at a later date at Beevers Cemetery in Forrest, New Mexico.
From a daughter’s perspective (by Susan Briley)
A good friend said it’s painful to come into this world and it’s painful to get out of this world. This is definitely true if you have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s dementia. This terrible disease robs a person of their identity. The person's identity becomes “she can’t remember, she can’t do that, etc.” You are totally consumed by what this disease does to a person. For the family, it’s daily grief and the “longest goodbye.”
I had a nurse ask me, who was your mom? Great question!! It took the focus off on my mom’s Alzheimer’s dementia diagnosis in 2018, to who she was BEFORE in her beautiful life.
Mavis Hill was born on October 10, 1933, to Donald and Ethel Hill. She had three sisters, Sue Yates and Donna Reins, who have preceded her in death, and Alice Helfrich, who lives in Clovis, New Mexico, at the age of 101. Mavis met the love of her life in Forrest, New Mexico, at the age of 12, and married John Nance at the age of 17 on August 11, 1951. They celebrated 65 years of marriage before John passed away on June 20, 2017.
Mavis and John were blessed with three children: Michael John Nance, born October 16, 1954. Mike married Julie Hemphill and they had four children, Jory, Katie, Kayla and Tessa. Mike tragically took his life on April 18, 2001. Susan Lee Nance, born March 21, 1957. Susan married Joe Briley on August 11, 1978, and they have two married children Sara (Jordan) McDaniel and Jake (Rachel) Briley. Kyla DeAnn Nance was born August 15, 1961. Kyla married David Marrs on July 27, 1979. Kyla tragically was killed in an automobile accident on October 22, 1982.
Mavis worked as a librarian at the Junior High School in the Lovington, New Mexico Public Schools, and later earned a master’s degree in Library Science. She worked as a Librarian at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Mavis loved books and always had “stacks” of books around her house that she was reading. In Mavis and John’s younger years, they enjoyed boating, water skiing, camping, square dancing and being involved in their kids’ lives. After Mavis and John retired, they traveled in their motorhome, visiting 48 states. They also volunteered as Nomads traveling all over the United States for this Methodist organization.
Mavis loved music of all kinds. She sang in choirs, played handbells and the piano. Mavis was a very gifted artist. She was a porcelain artist for years and created many beautiful, unique pieces. She loved to knit and made hundreds of sweaters for the organization Knit of Kids. She was an amazing, gifted quilter and she loved making hundreds of baby quilts for Bridge Haven in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Her counted cross stitch pieces were works of art and museum quality. She loved making crafts of all kinds and had a working studio where she sold her crafts in their Las Vegas, New Mexico home. She was a gifted seamstress and made all kinds of clothing for herself, kids and dolls.
My mom was my best friend. We shared so many adventures with special trips, shopping, crafting, painting, decorating, laughing, talking and being a part of my kids’ lives. My mom and dad loved my kids, Sara and Jake, and were such a precious part of their growing up years into their adult years. They all were blessed by the love between grandparents and grandkids.
Mavis was a member of Christ Community United Methodist Church in Marion, Iowa, since 2005. Throughout Mavis’ life, she always went to church. It was August 13, 2008, through the Walk to Emmaus that she truly accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. Mom wrote in her bible that God has given me peace and joy in my life and I’m grateful for the life I now have and the beautiful loving kindness I feel from my Savior. John 3:16 – forever grateful!
Mavis was blessed with many dedicated and caring people in Memory Care, Skilled Nursing, Long Term Care and the Administrative Staff at The Views in Marion since September 2019. Mercy Hospice came into her care April 14, 2022. I had the privilege of staying around the clock with my mom at the Views for several days before she died. I would tell them - my mom waited for me to come into this world, now the roles have reversed, and I will wait until she leaves this world. What a blessing ALL the staff of The Views and Mercy Hospice were to my mom and to me. Thank you for loving my mom so well!
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that memorial donations be made to Alzheimer’s Association, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Mercy Hospice, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; or Christ Community United Methodist Church, Marion, Iowa.
From a daughter’s perspective (by Susan Briley)
A good friend said it’s painful to come into this world and it’s painful to get out of this world. This is definitely true if you have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s dementia. This terrible disease robs a person of their identity. The person's identity becomes “she can’t remember, she can’t do that, etc.” You are totally consumed by what this disease does to a person. For the family, it’s daily grief and the “longest goodbye.”
I had a nurse ask me, who was your mom? Great question!! It took the focus off on my mom’s Alzheimer’s dementia diagnosis in 2018, to who she was BEFORE in her beautiful life.
Mavis Hill was born on October 10, 1933, to Donald and Ethel Hill. She had three sisters, Sue Yates and Donna Reins, who have preceded her in death, and Alice Helfrich, who lives in Clovis, New Mexico, at the age of 101. Mavis met the love of her life in Forrest, New Mexico, at the age of 12, and married John Nance at the age of 17 on August 11, 1951. They celebrated 65 years of marriage before John passed away on June 20, 2017.
Mavis and John were blessed with three children: Michael John Nance, born October 16, 1954. Mike married Julie Hemphill and they had four children, Jory, Katie, Kayla and Tessa. Mike tragically took his life on April 18, 2001. Susan Lee Nance, born March 21, 1957. Susan married Joe Briley on August 11, 1978, and they have two married children Sara (Jordan) McDaniel and Jake (Rachel) Briley. Kyla DeAnn Nance was born August 15, 1961. Kyla married David Marrs on July 27, 1979. Kyla tragically was killed in an automobile accident on October 22, 1982.
Mavis worked as a librarian at the Junior High School in the Lovington, New Mexico Public Schools, and later earned a master’s degree in Library Science. She worked as a Librarian at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Mavis loved books and always had “stacks” of books around her house that she was reading. In Mavis and John’s younger years, they enjoyed boating, water skiing, camping, square dancing and being involved in their kids’ lives. After Mavis and John retired, they traveled in their motorhome, visiting 48 states. They also volunteered as Nomads traveling all over the United States for this Methodist organization.
Mavis loved music of all kinds. She sang in choirs, played handbells and the piano. Mavis was a very gifted artist. She was a porcelain artist for years and created many beautiful, unique pieces. She loved to knit and made hundreds of sweaters for the organization Knit of Kids. She was an amazing, gifted quilter and she loved making hundreds of baby quilts for Bridge Haven in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Her counted cross stitch pieces were works of art and museum quality. She loved making crafts of all kinds and had a working studio where she sold her crafts in their Las Vegas, New Mexico home. She was a gifted seamstress and made all kinds of clothing for herself, kids and dolls.
My mom was my best friend. We shared so many adventures with special trips, shopping, crafting, painting, decorating, laughing, talking and being a part of my kids’ lives. My mom and dad loved my kids, Sara and Jake, and were such a precious part of their growing up years into their adult years. They all were blessed by the love between grandparents and grandkids.
Mavis was a member of Christ Community United Methodist Church in Marion, Iowa, since 2005. Throughout Mavis’ life, she always went to church. It was August 13, 2008, through the Walk to Emmaus that she truly accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. Mom wrote in her bible that God has given me peace and joy in my life and I’m grateful for the life I now have and the beautiful loving kindness I feel from my Savior. John 3:16 – forever grateful!
Mavis was blessed with many dedicated and caring people in Memory Care, Skilled Nursing, Long Term Care and the Administrative Staff at The Views in Marion since September 2019. Mercy Hospice came into her care April 14, 2022. I had the privilege of staying around the clock with my mom at the Views for several days before she died. I would tell them - my mom waited for me to come into this world, now the roles have reversed, and I will wait until she leaves this world. What a blessing ALL the staff of The Views and Mercy Hospice were to my mom and to me. Thank you for loving my mom so well!
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that memorial donations be made to Alzheimer’s Association, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Mercy Hospice, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; or Christ Community United Methodist Church, Marion, Iowa.
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