Nancy VanAllsburg

Nancy Van Allsburg was a woman with deep roots. Despite living nearly a century through remarkable changes, she stayed grounded in the things that were most important: fortitude, friendship, and family. When things got difficult, she dug in deeper, moving toward those in need, not away from them. She held on to friends for decades while making room for new ones, generously sharing both encouragement and tough love. She adored her family, giving of herself, putting them first, and doing what she believed was best for them. Nancy was a person of action, fueled by high energy. Her only serious complaint about old-age was being thwarted by lack of energy.

The 1920s saw cities growing, electricity becoming more available, and jazz music being heard everywhere. By the end of the decade, it felt like the good times would never end, and a young couple in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Emmett and Florence (Johns) Fairchild, received their own joyful news; their family of six would add a seventh soon. On April 14, 1929, they welcomed their sweet Nancy Ann into the world.

They say all good things must come to an end, and on October 29 of that same year, the New York Stock Exchange crashed, sending prices, unemployment, and company losses skyrocketing. Nancy and her siblings grew up in the midst of this crisis. They learned some beautiful lessons during those hard times; pitching in, making do, and doing without were their norm. Nancy never forgot.

Even though Nancy was seven years younger than the youngest of her siblings, her sister and brothers always made her feel special by including her. Nancy loved playing outside with them and had fond memories of the cherry tree that grew in her family’s yard. She also helped in the kitchen, although she knew she would never enjoy the heat and long days required for canning. It wasn’t about the hard work, though; she got her first job at fourteen, working as a soda jerk in a local drugstore. She was then responsible for buying her own clothing. The Great Depression was over, but by no means were things easy. The world was fighting World War II, and like the rest of the country she saw many young people not much older than she leaving to serve across the ocean.

Shortly after Nancy’s sixteenth birthday, she rejoiced to learn that the war was over and things stateside took on their new normal. Nancy loved school and studied hard, participating in South High School’s Horizon Club as well as the Honor Society, graduating with the class of 1947. She wanted to pursue college, but like many she couldn’t afford it. She found employment at the phone company instead. But she placed a high value on education, strongly encouraging her children to educational pursuits.

While still in high school, some friends introduced Nancy to a young man named Everett Van Allsburg. Initially it was fair to say the two were unimpressed with each other, but fortunately they both believed in second chances. Everett had only been home a short time from his service in the Army when they agreed to a date on New Year’s Eve of 1946. They dated off and on after that, but always found themselves together on New Year’s Eve.

It was a surprise to some when on September 30, 1950, Nancy and Everett eloped to Angola, Indiana, scraping together enough money for a short honeymoon in New York City. When they returned, they lived with Everett’s parents before finding a house on Spencer Street. They eventually moved to Washtenaw Drive NE and later built a house on Emerald Avenue NE.

The Van Allsburgs had three children. Nancy made her home her workplace, and caring for her family was her full-time job. She had a routine for the household that worked well, with specific tasks assigned to each day. She was careful to teach her children some of the lessons she learned growing up, often telling them, “You don’t know what it was like growing up with nothing.” Another favorite saying was, “ ‘Can’t’ never did anything but die in the poorhouse.”

While Nancy and Everett organized their life together, she was also strong, resourceful, and independent. She never needed Everett to discipline their kids. While she kept them in line, she also stayed involved at their school and as a Cub Scout den mother. She had amazing cooking and baking skills, and the family could always count on dinner being served precisely at 5:30 followed by a delicious dessert. Everyone loved Nancy’s Hoosier cookies and always looked forward to the results of her secret recipes for Waldorf’s Red Cake and Hot Fudge.

Nancy loved to travel, and family vacations were a big part of Van Allsburg life. They frequently took trips to Gun Lake with extended family, but also many cross-country trips with Nancy as the navigator, making sure they always met Everett's goal of covering at least 400 miles a day.

Once their youngest child Cheryl was in middle school, Nancy took a job working part-time at Sears, mostly in catalog sales support. As time passed, Nancy and Everett were blessed with three grandchildren. She loved spending time with each one, looking for ways to connect and show them how much she cared. She often took her granddaughter Jayne out shopping and to lunch, heaving a sigh of relief when Jayne’s favorite restaurant switched from McDonald’s to Arnie’s.

Nancy and Everett's love of travel was enhanced by finding consummate travel partners in Al and Rose Mirandette. The four voyagers traveled the world together for many years, including countless trips in their retirement. They visited Hawaii several times, and Nancy enjoyed New Zealand and Paris. Her favorite trip was a sailboat tour of the Virgin Islands with a gourmet chef on board.

When they were home, Nancy liked to knit, sew, and cross-stitch in her spare time, and she taught Jayne how to knit. She used her knitting skills in her retirement to make baby sweaters for a program helping low income new mothers. She was a voracious reader and an enthusiast of classic movies. In the early 2000s, Everett developed Alzheimer’s. Throughout the heartbreaking diagnosis and inevitable decline, Nancy faithfully cared for him for ten years until she was no longer physically able. Everett passed away in 2015.

Nancy loved people and made many friends throughout her life, including people from Everett’s work, their church, and the neighborhood. She eventually moved to The Oaks at Belmont in Belmont, Michigan, and continued to make friends among the residents and staff, who liked her feisty personality. Nancy died at the age of ninety-five with her daughter Cheryl and granddaughter Jayne by her side. Nancy had immense gratitude for her life, she spoke of having had a wonderful life and having been blessed by sharing it with Everett, the love of her life.She leaves her family with countless fond memories, a remarkable example, and the assurance of her love.

Nancy died on Tuesday, November 26, 2024. She was preceded in death by her husband Everett in 2015; three brothers: Bob, John, and Horace "Bud" Fairchild; and a sister, Margaret Van Allsburg. Nancy is survived by her children and their partners: Scott and Katey, Brian and Michael, and Cheryl and Kirk; three grandchildren: Ian, Everett and Jayne; and a sister-in-law, Diane Van Allsburg.

The service to remember and celebrate Nancy’s life will be held on Saturday, January 11, 2024, at 11 AM at Second Congregational Church where friends may visit with her family beginning at 10 AM. There will be additional time to visit with Nancy’s family during a luncheon immediately following the service. For those who wish, memorial contributions to Mel Trotter Ministries are appreciated. To share a memory or photo or to sign Nancy’s online guestbook, visit heritagelifestory.com.