Nancy Jane Owen

Nancy Owen was born on July 1st, 1934 and passed away from a stroke on June 6th, 2019. She was born in Syracuse New York to Otto and Doris Fernalld. She was one of four siblings. Her brothers and sister were Judy, Ellis, and Dick. When Nancy got older, she worked as a secretary at the Syracuse University Law School, where she met her husband, Edward Owen. Edward and Nancy were married on June 9th, 1956 and had two children, Peter and Alison. Edward worked as an educator, and the family moved to many places, including a brief move to South Carolina in the summer of 1965. There, Nancy defied the norm in that region and involved herself in the Civil Rights Movement by standing up for the rights of African American citizens, at a time in which doing so was a noble and brave action. As Edward furthered himself in his career in education, the family moved to various places in New England until they settled in upstate New York, where they resided in Catskill, NY. Nancy then began fulfilling her dream of attending college at Columbia-Greene Community College in Hudson, NY. She worked diligently toward her degree and graduated with an associate's degree. She also continued to further her education long after she graduated. Later on, Nancy and Edward moved to Tucson, Arizona in 1984 to escape the brutal New York winter. It was there that Nancy explored her artistic side by creating and selling stained glass pieces at art shows and galleries. Nancy's daughter, Alison and her husband Odell Baskerville followed the couple out to Tucson and gave birth to Nancy's grandson, Peter Baskerville. She was also blessed with two other grandchildren, Victoria and Christopher, who are the children of her son Peter and his wife, Deborah. Nancy also recently became a great grandmother to Isaac, the son of Christopher and his wife, Liz. Nancy loved spending time with her children, grandchildren, and the rest of her family. Her kindness and love showed no bounds. Everyone she met fell instantly in love with her. She had a gentle soul that warmed the hearts of those around her. In her spare time, Nancy loved reading mystery novels and doing crossword puzzles. She also greatly enjoyed sewing and cooking. Some of the dishes she loved to make for her family to enjoy were shepard's pie, chili, chipped beef on toast, and lentil soup. She also had frequent cravings for popcorn, salad, coffee, and a nice glass of wine. In her later years, Nancy spent alot of time visiting local Tucson landmarks, traveling, going to movies and eating out with Alison and her grandson, Peter. She also went to many plays and musicals, seeing as she had a love for theater and music. Whenever Peter, who enjoys acting, performed in a show, she would always be there in the very front row. Nancy was a bright light in our family, one that will continue to shine even after her passing. We will miss her greatly, but also take comfort in knowing that she lived a wonderful life doing the things she loved to do, and that she is now reunited with Edward in a better place. We love you Nancy.