She was only 69, but I thought she'd outlive me. Boy it's hard to believe my mom's cousin Nancy is gone. Tough, assertive, loud, funny and sweet, she took no guff from any one. She was said to be the one of the family who most resembled -in character- my great grandmother Emma Clauss Ettinger - the tough little lady who also took no guff from anyone. These are the kind of ladies people mean when they say "She's a pistol!"
I liked Nancy a lot. She seemed a little scary to me at first because my family was sort of reserved and not very loud, and if my family had strong opinions, they were shared gently. Nancy told you what she thought in no uncertain terms and she didn't speak softly, but that was the Ettinger way she had in her. The more I got to know her, the more I appreciated her because under all her bluster and opinions and anger with other people, she was a sweet and funny person, and she knew how to laugh at herself. In turn, you could say anything to her and she'd get it, even edgy stuff, and she'd never be offended either.
She became known to me pretty late in life. I knew her sister Esther from my childhood but not her. Sometime before my father's health went south, Nancy had developed a habit of visiting my dad. Nancy loved new cars and got them frequently, and she said whenever she got a new one she had to show it to my dad because he always appreciated them. I can believe this; my dad liked cars and he had the gift of making others feel special.
Later when my dad's health got bad and Mom and I were taking care of him at home, Nancy and her sister Esther would come by. Often it would be on their way home from the Farmer's Market with something good to eat -maybe a shoo fly pie or some cookies- and their visits meant a lot. Mom was depressed from dad's problems and our house was sort of subdued, so having these two lively ladies drop by was especially appreciated. A lot of people sort of backed away from our family when Dad wasn't well, but these two sisters were terrific and never forgot us.
The same continued even when my mom's health was bad. Nancy and Esther would call or come by to make sure we were doing ok. I talked with Nancy on the phone a lot when my mom was getting really bad, and she always listened well, and then distracted me with something else.
She was a great talker, always had a drama going. Sometimes it was about problems with others, but most often it was tales of her luck at gambling, an activity she enjoyed even more once the Sands Casino in Bethlehem was built. She did seem to have unusually good luck and was usually ahead. Her winnings were often used to get dog toys or put into what she called "Bobby's college fund".
Bobby was a dog she'd adopted after her husband Bob had died, naming the dog after the man. Bobby is one ugly little dog, dirty white with ferocious dental problems and a nasty, twisted, spiky grin, but he has a sterling personality, very sweet, very engaged with people. Bobby knows life is good and shares the message.
Nancy had first come across Bobby at a shelter. He'd been found on the side of some major roadway and there was some suspicion he'd been dumped. It's hard to believe anyone would want to divest themselves of this charming little dog, unless they couldn't afford his dental bills. Whatever, Nancy and Bobby understood each other very well, and I think Bobby kept Nancy going after she lost her husband, whom she loved very much and never stopped missing. I honestly believe it's not out of the question that Nancy passed on Valentine's Day to go be with her first Bobby, her husband. Her funeral was just after her spiritual twin, her grandma Emma's death day.
As for the second Bobby, the dog, apparently after Nancy left us, many friends came forward willing to take Bobby, but Nancy's sister Esther has him now, and I am sure Bobby is very pleased to be with a nice lady he knew well, who also has a nice big fenced in backyard. Nancy used to tell him "Esther's coming!" and he'd bark excitedly, so now he has Esther every day.
The first Bobby was a fellow Nancy knew from school, but she met him again later at a restaurant while he was in or just out of the Marines. I never knew him well, but knew he had to be quite a guy for taking on Nancy. They had a terrific marriage, he treated her like a queen and she loved him for it. They never had kids but always had dogs, and they ate well and traveled together and had a deep and fine relationship. She was a spunky aunt to her nephews Mark and Neil E, and to Tami Cohen and Todd N, but aside from her sister Esther and her brother John, the one who's missing her most is her frumpy little Bobby with the funky teeth and the proverbial heart of gold.
Nancy's end came quickly, a blessing for anyone, but especially for a saucy, impatient lady who made a terrible patient. It began with a fall on January 9 and more falls followed. Sometimes she was found, sometimes she could get to a phone, and sadly once she had rug burns from dragging herself to make the call. She was in and out of two hospitals and two nursing homes. It's not yet clear what happened. She had a bad urinary infection, but on a blood test, I was told, her one value that should have been about 30 was over 1100. The family recalls it as potassium, which might suggest something going on with her kidneys. Then there was also some talk of myasthenia gravis explaining her overall weakness and falls, but otherwise Nancy did not seem to have shown its most common symptoms in the face or with droopy eyes. She had tests, her blood was cleansed, many things were done, but clearly she was sliding. She didn't want to eat, but even liquid became a problem as her swallowing became faulty and she aspirated. I'm sorry she's gone, but so glad she did not have to go on and lead a terribly compromised life and dim her indomitable spirit.
Nancy had had Bob cremated and kept his ashes. Now she has been cremated, and the two of them will be interred at Greenwood Cemetery in Allentown near her dad and my mom's Ettingers and Nancy's mom's family, the Coopermans. Her services on February 19 were led by Rev. Richard Reigle of Christ Evangelical Congregational Church in Allentown, and he did a lovely job bringing new life to the 23rd Psalm. He rightly pointed out that there are sections where the speaker says "you" meaning God... and we only say "you" when that person is present, and indeed God is with us always, in life and in death. Further, he brought a new perspective when he described death as a "robing room" where we cast off our earthly robe before moving on.
Nancy's obit appeared in the Saturday, February 16, 2012 Allentown Morning Call. It talks about Trexler Funeral Home handling her arrangements, and about her graduation from West Chester State College and how she taught over 30 years in the Allentown School District, and specifically at Trexler Middle School. She taught at Sheridan too. That's all true, as well as the reference to the wonderful life she shared with her husband. What's also true is that no obit can really capture a person's spirit, but hopefully you have tasted a bit of hers here.
I liked Nancy a lot. She seemed a little scary to me at first because my family was sort of reserved and not very loud, and if my family had strong opinions, they were shared gently. Nancy told you what she thought in no uncertain terms and she didn't speak softly, but that was the Ettinger way she had in her. The more I got to know her, the more I appreciated her because under all her bluster and opinions and anger with other people, she was a sweet and funny person, and she knew how to laugh at herself. In turn, you could say anything to her and she'd get it, even edgy stuff, and she'd never be offended either.
She became known to me pretty late in life. I knew her sister Esther from my childhood but not her. Sometime before my father's health went south, Nancy had developed a habit of visiting my dad. Nancy loved new cars and got them frequently, and she said whenever she got a new one she had to show it to my dad because he always appreciated them. I can believe this; my dad liked cars and he had the gift of making others feel special.
Later when my dad's health got bad and Mom and I were taking care of him at home, Nancy and her sister Esther would come by. Often it would be on their way home from the Farmer's Market with something good to eat -maybe a shoo fly pie or some cookies- and their visits meant a lot. Mom was depressed from dad's problems and our house was sort of subdued, so having these two lively ladies drop by was especially appreciated. A lot of people sort of backed away from our family when Dad wasn't well, but these two sisters were terrific and never forgot us.
The same continued even when my mom's health was bad. Nancy and Esther would call or come by to make sure we were doing ok. I talked with Nancy on the phone a lot when my mom was getting really bad, and she always listened well, and then distracted me with something else.
She was a great talker, always had a drama going. Sometimes it was about problems with others, but most often it was tales of her luck at gambling, an activity she enjoyed even more once the Sands Casino in Bethlehem was built. She did seem to have unusually good luck and was usually ahead. Her winnings were often used to get dog toys or put into what she called "Bobby's college fund".
Bobby was a dog she'd adopted after her husband Bob had died, naming the dog after the man. Bobby is one ugly little dog, dirty white with ferocious dental problems and a nasty, twisted, spiky grin, but he has a sterling personality, very sweet, very engaged with people. Bobby knows life is good and shares the message.
Nancy had first come across Bobby at a shelter. He'd been found on the side of some major roadway and there was some suspicion he'd been dumped. It's hard to believe anyone would want to divest themselves of this charming little dog, unless they couldn't afford his dental bills. Whatever, Nancy and Bobby understood each other very well, and I think Bobby kept Nancy going after she lost her husband, whom she loved very much and never stopped missing. I honestly believe it's not out of the question that Nancy passed on Valentine's Day to go be with her first Bobby, her husband. Her funeral was just after her spiritual twin, her grandma Emma's death day.
As for the second Bobby, the dog, apparently after Nancy left us, many friends came forward willing to take Bobby, but Nancy's sister Esther has him now, and I am sure Bobby is very pleased to be with a nice lady he knew well, who also has a nice big fenced in backyard. Nancy used to tell him "Esther's coming!" and he'd bark excitedly, so now he has Esther every day.
The first Bobby was a fellow Nancy knew from school, but she met him again later at a restaurant while he was in or just out of the Marines. I never knew him well, but knew he had to be quite a guy for taking on Nancy. They had a terrific marriage, he treated her like a queen and she loved him for it. They never had kids but always had dogs, and they ate well and traveled together and had a deep and fine relationship. She was a spunky aunt to her nephews Mark and Neil E, and to Tami Cohen and Todd N, but aside from her sister Esther and her brother John, the one who's missing her most is her frumpy little Bobby with the funky teeth and the proverbial heart of gold.
Nancy's end came quickly, a blessing for anyone, but especially for a saucy, impatient lady who made a terrible patient. It began with a fall on January 9 and more falls followed. Sometimes she was found, sometimes she could get to a phone, and sadly once she had rug burns from dragging herself to make the call. She was in and out of two hospitals and two nursing homes. It's not yet clear what happened. She had a bad urinary infection, but on a blood test, I was told, her one value that should have been about 30 was over 1100. The family recalls it as potassium, which might suggest something going on with her kidneys. Then there was also some talk of myasthenia gravis explaining her overall weakness and falls, but otherwise Nancy did not seem to have shown its most common symptoms in the face or with droopy eyes. She had tests, her blood was cleansed, many things were done, but clearly she was sliding. She didn't want to eat, but even liquid became a problem as her swallowing became faulty and she aspirated. I'm sorry she's gone, but so glad she did not have to go on and lead a terribly compromised life and dim her indomitable spirit.
Nancy had had Bob cremated and kept his ashes. Now she has been cremated, and the two of them will be interred at Greenwood Cemetery in Allentown near her dad and my mom's Ettingers and Nancy's mom's family, the Coopermans. Her services on February 19 were led by Rev. Richard Reigle of Christ Evangelical Congregational Church in Allentown, and he did a lovely job bringing new life to the 23rd Psalm. He rightly pointed out that there are sections where the speaker says "you" meaning God... and we only say "you" when that person is present, and indeed God is with us always, in life and in death. Further, he brought a new perspective when he described death as a "robing room" where we cast off our earthly robe before moving on.
Nancy's obit appeared in the Saturday, February 16, 2012 Allentown Morning Call. It talks about Trexler Funeral Home handling her arrangements, and about her graduation from West Chester State College and how she taught over 30 years in the Allentown School District, and specifically at Trexler Middle School. She taught at Sheridan too. That's all true, as well as the reference to the wonderful life she shared with her husband. What's also true is that no obit can really capture a person's spirit, but hopefully you have tasted a bit of hers here.
She was only 69, but I thought she'd outlive me. Boy it's hard to believe my mom's cousin Nancy is gone. Tough, assertive, loud, funny and sweet, she took no guff from any one. She was said to be the one of the family who most resembled -in character- my great grandmother Emma Clauss Ettinger - the tough little lady who also took no guff from anyone. These are the kind of ladies people mean when they say "She's a pistol!"
I liked Nancy a lot. She seemed a little scary to me at first because my family was sort of reserved and not very loud, and if my family had strong opinions, they were shared gently. Nancy told you what she thought in no uncertain terms and she didn't speak softly, but that was the Ettinger way she had in her. The more I got to know her, the more I appreciated her because under all her bluster and opinions and anger with other people, she was a sweet and funny person, and she knew how to laugh at herself. In turn, you could say anything to her and she'd get it, even edgy stuff, and she'd never be offended either.
She became known to me pretty late in life. I knew her sister Esther from my childhood but not her. Sometime before my father's health went south, Nancy had developed a habit of visiting my dad. Nancy loved new cars and got them frequently, and she said whenever she got a new one she had to show it to my dad because he always appreciated them. I can believe this; my dad liked cars and he had the gift of making others feel special.
Later when my dad's health got bad and Mom and I were taking care of him at home, Nancy and her sister Esther would come by. Often it would be on their way home from the Farmer's Market with something good to eat -maybe a shoo fly pie or some cookies- and their visits meant a lot. Mom was depressed from dad's problems and our house was sort of subdued, so having these two lively ladies drop by was especially appreciated. A lot of people sort of backed away from our family when Dad wasn't well, but these two sisters were terrific and never forgot us.
The same continued even when my mom's health was bad. Nancy and Esther would call or come by to make sure we were doing ok. I talked with Nancy on the phone a lot when my mom was getting really bad, and she always listened well, and then distracted me with something else.
She was a great talker, always had a drama going. Sometimes it was about problems with others, but most often it was tales of her luck at gambling, an activity she enjoyed even more once the Sands Casino in Bethlehem was built. She did seem to have unusually good luck and was usually ahead. Her winnings were often used to get dog toys or put into what she called "Bobby's college fund".
Bobby was a dog she'd adopted after her husband Bob had died, naming the dog after the man. Bobby is one ugly little dog, dirty white with ferocious dental problems and a nasty, twisted, spiky grin, but he has a sterling personality, very sweet, very engaged with people. Bobby knows life is good and shares the message.
Nancy had first come across Bobby at a shelter. He'd been found on the side of some major roadway and there was some suspicion he'd been dumped. It's hard to believe anyone would want to divest themselves of this charming little dog, unless they couldn't afford his dental bills. Whatever, Nancy and Bobby understood each other very well, and I think Bobby kept Nancy going after she lost her husband, whom she loved very much and never stopped missing. I honestly believe it's not out of the question that Nancy passed on Valentine's Day to go be with her first Bobby, her husband. Her funeral was just after her spiritual twin, her grandma Emma's death day.
As for the second Bobby, the dog, apparently after Nancy left us, many friends came forward willing to take Bobby, but Nancy's sister Esther has him now, and I am sure Bobby is very pleased to be with a nice lady he knew well, who also has a nice big fenced in backyard. Nancy used to tell him "Esther's coming!" and he'd bark excitedly, so now he has Esther every day.
The first Bobby was a fellow Nancy knew from school, but she met him again later at a restaurant while he was in or just out of the Marines. I never knew him well, but knew he had to be quite a guy for taking on Nancy. They had a terrific marriage, he treated her like a queen and she loved him for it. They never had kids but always had dogs, and they ate well and traveled together and had a deep and fine relationship. She was a spunky aunt to her nephews Mark and Neil E, and to Tami Cohen and Todd N, but aside from her sister Esther and her brother John, the one who's missing her most is her frumpy little Bobby with the funky teeth and the proverbial heart of gold.
Nancy's end came quickly, a blessing for anyone, but especially for a saucy, impatient lady who made a terrible patient. It began with a fall on January 9 and more falls followed. Sometimes she was found, sometimes she could get to a phone, and sadly once she had rug burns from dragging herself to make the call. She was in and out of two hospitals and two nursing homes. It's not yet clear what happened. She had a bad urinary infection, but on a blood test, I was told, her one value that should have been about 30 was over 1100. The family recalls it as potassium, which might suggest something going on with her kidneys. Then there was also some talk of myasthenia gravis explaining her overall weakness and falls, but otherwise Nancy did not seem to have shown its most common symptoms in the face or with droopy eyes. She had tests, her blood was cleansed, many things were done, but clearly she was sliding. She didn't want to eat, but even liquid became a problem as her swallowing became faulty and she aspirated. I'm sorry she's gone, but so glad she did not have to go on and lead a terribly compromised life and dim her indomitable spirit.
Nancy had had Bob cremated and kept his ashes. Now she has been cremated, and the two of them will be interred at Greenwood Cemetery in Allentown near her dad and my mom's Ettingers and Nancy's mom's family, the Coopermans. Her services on February 19 were led by Rev. Richard Reigle of Christ Evangelical Congregational Church in Allentown, and he did a lovely job bringing new life to the 23rd Psalm. He rightly pointed out that there are sections where the speaker says "you" meaning God... and we only say "you" when that person is present, and indeed God is with us always, in life and in death. Further, he brought a new perspective when he described death as a "robing room" where we cast off our earthly robe before moving on.
Nancy's obit appeared in the Saturday, February 16, 2012 Allentown Morning Call. It talks about Trexler Funeral Home handling her arrangements, and about her graduation from West Chester State College and how she taught over 30 years in the Allentown School District, and specifically at Trexler Middle School. She taught at Sheridan too. That's all true, as well as the reference to the wonderful life she shared with her husband. What's also true is that no obit can really capture a person's spirit, but hopefully you have tasted a bit of hers here.
I liked Nancy a lot. She seemed a little scary to me at first because my family was sort of reserved and not very loud, and if my family had strong opinions, they were shared gently. Nancy told you what she thought in no uncertain terms and she didn't speak softly, but that was the Ettinger way she had in her. The more I got to know her, the more I appreciated her because under all her bluster and opinions and anger with other people, she was a sweet and funny person, and she knew how to laugh at herself. In turn, you could say anything to her and she'd get it, even edgy stuff, and she'd never be offended either.
She became known to me pretty late in life. I knew her sister Esther from my childhood but not her. Sometime before my father's health went south, Nancy had developed a habit of visiting my dad. Nancy loved new cars and got them frequently, and she said whenever she got a new one she had to show it to my dad because he always appreciated them. I can believe this; my dad liked cars and he had the gift of making others feel special.
Later when my dad's health got bad and Mom and I were taking care of him at home, Nancy and her sister Esther would come by. Often it would be on their way home from the Farmer's Market with something good to eat -maybe a shoo fly pie or some cookies- and their visits meant a lot. Mom was depressed from dad's problems and our house was sort of subdued, so having these two lively ladies drop by was especially appreciated. A lot of people sort of backed away from our family when Dad wasn't well, but these two sisters were terrific and never forgot us.
The same continued even when my mom's health was bad. Nancy and Esther would call or come by to make sure we were doing ok. I talked with Nancy on the phone a lot when my mom was getting really bad, and she always listened well, and then distracted me with something else.
She was a great talker, always had a drama going. Sometimes it was about problems with others, but most often it was tales of her luck at gambling, an activity she enjoyed even more once the Sands Casino in Bethlehem was built. She did seem to have unusually good luck and was usually ahead. Her winnings were often used to get dog toys or put into what she called "Bobby's college fund".
Bobby was a dog she'd adopted after her husband Bob had died, naming the dog after the man. Bobby is one ugly little dog, dirty white with ferocious dental problems and a nasty, twisted, spiky grin, but he has a sterling personality, very sweet, very engaged with people. Bobby knows life is good and shares the message.
Nancy had first come across Bobby at a shelter. He'd been found on the side of some major roadway and there was some suspicion he'd been dumped. It's hard to believe anyone would want to divest themselves of this charming little dog, unless they couldn't afford his dental bills. Whatever, Nancy and Bobby understood each other very well, and I think Bobby kept Nancy going after she lost her husband, whom she loved very much and never stopped missing. I honestly believe it's not out of the question that Nancy passed on Valentine's Day to go be with her first Bobby, her husband. Her funeral was just after her spiritual twin, her grandma Emma's death day.
As for the second Bobby, the dog, apparently after Nancy left us, many friends came forward willing to take Bobby, but Nancy's sister Esther has him now, and I am sure Bobby is very pleased to be with a nice lady he knew well, who also has a nice big fenced in backyard. Nancy used to tell him "Esther's coming!" and he'd bark excitedly, so now he has Esther every day.
The first Bobby was a fellow Nancy knew from school, but she met him again later at a restaurant while he was in or just out of the Marines. I never knew him well, but knew he had to be quite a guy for taking on Nancy. They had a terrific marriage, he treated her like a queen and she loved him for it. They never had kids but always had dogs, and they ate well and traveled together and had a deep and fine relationship. She was a spunky aunt to her nephews Mark and Neil E, and to Tami Cohen and Todd N, but aside from her sister Esther and her brother John, the one who's missing her most is her frumpy little Bobby with the funky teeth and the proverbial heart of gold.
Nancy's end came quickly, a blessing for anyone, but especially for a saucy, impatient lady who made a terrible patient. It began with a fall on January 9 and more falls followed. Sometimes she was found, sometimes she could get to a phone, and sadly once she had rug burns from dragging herself to make the call. She was in and out of two hospitals and two nursing homes. It's not yet clear what happened. She had a bad urinary infection, but on a blood test, I was told, her one value that should have been about 30 was over 1100. The family recalls it as potassium, which might suggest something going on with her kidneys. Then there was also some talk of myasthenia gravis explaining her overall weakness and falls, but otherwise Nancy did not seem to have shown its most common symptoms in the face or with droopy eyes. She had tests, her blood was cleansed, many things were done, but clearly she was sliding. She didn't want to eat, but even liquid became a problem as her swallowing became faulty and she aspirated. I'm sorry she's gone, but so glad she did not have to go on and lead a terribly compromised life and dim her indomitable spirit.
Nancy had had Bob cremated and kept his ashes. Now she has been cremated, and the two of them will be interred at Greenwood Cemetery in Allentown near her dad and my mom's Ettingers and Nancy's mom's family, the Coopermans. Her services on February 19 were led by Rev. Richard Reigle of Christ Evangelical Congregational Church in Allentown, and he did a lovely job bringing new life to the 23rd Psalm. He rightly pointed out that there are sections where the speaker says "you" meaning God... and we only say "you" when that person is present, and indeed God is with us always, in life and in death. Further, he brought a new perspective when he described death as a "robing room" where we cast off our earthly robe before moving on.
Nancy's obit appeared in the Saturday, February 16, 2012 Allentown Morning Call. It talks about Trexler Funeral Home handling her arrangements, and about her graduation from West Chester State College and how she taught over 30 years in the Allentown School District, and specifically at Trexler Middle School. She taught at Sheridan too. That's all true, as well as the reference to the wonderful life she shared with her husband. What's also true is that no obit can really capture a person's spirit, but hopefully you have tasted a bit of hers here.
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