When I think of Aunt Nancy, I think of someone who was full of grace and generosity. She had a special way of admiring and appreciating the beauty of the world around us. I can remember one of my last visits to the home on Seacrest Drive we went for a walk in the neighborhood and I was fascinated by the trees that had green tree trunks. They were beautiful and of course, Aunt Nancy knew what they were called, but I can’t recall the name for sure. Maybe it was a beech tree? She also pulled out some old record albums and talked about some of her favorites. It was fun to see some of that side of her personality and get to know her a bit more personally. One of the ways I think we shared a special connection was that we were both teachers and had a love of children’s literature. I was always excited to visit with her and talk about how teaching was going for her and then later be able to share some of my teaching stories with her. We would discuss different books as well. I was always in awe of how much she knew and what an avid reader she was!

I think what I admire most about Aunt Nancy was her genuine care for others, her wonderful hospitality, and generous heart. One of my earliest memories of Aunt Nancy was as a little girl, getting to roll around in the back of the station wagon on our way to the beach. It was so much fun and full of giggles! As a preteen or young teen, she visited us during Valentine’s Day and I was so excited that I made a little sign welcoming her. She gave me a set of nesting Easter bunny eggs that I still put out at Easter each year! When Brianna just turned 3, we visited and stayed with Aunt Nancy & Uncle Tom for a few days. We had our own room and Brianna even had a room with little beds to sleep in. We did our first trip to Disney Land as a family and Brianna lasted so long with all the excitement that we had to call and let Aunt Nancy know we’d be staying at the park longer and be home late. During our visit she also took us to Catalina Island and we spent the afternoon enjoying the fun there. Even the ferry ride was a treat! She also had Clare and Claudia over with the kids and we all had a fun time watching the kids play with Brianna. Another example of her generosity was her thoughtfulness at Christmastime and sending gifts to Cade & Brianna. You could tell that she really put forth thought into what they’d be interested in for their age.

The last time I got to visit with Aunt Nancy was during a road trip to California the summer that mom passed. We picked her up from her place in Irvine and went to Claudia’s house for dinner with her family. I can recall she was definitely more fragile and used a cane, but didn’t really like it or want to use it. I was really impressed to see how much of a gentleman Ethan was to her (Aaron was at work until right before we left to bring Aunt Nancy home, and I am sure he would treat her just the same.). She was still able to engage in meaningful conversation and had a genuine desire to learn more about others. I loved that about her!

We are truly grateful for the all the fun family memories Aunt Nancy and Uncle Tom helped create for us with Anne, Claudia, Clare, and Paul and other extended Feit family. Aunt Nancy will be missed dearly by us all, but her legacy of love, grace, and generosity will continue shining bright in our lives.