Nancy R. Wise

Nancy Ruth Burch Wise, age 90, died July 30 at Ganzhorn Memory Care in Dublin, Ohio after a long illness. Born in Ashtabula, Ohio to Eugene and Edith Burch, Nancy spent her childhood in Cleveland and her teen years in Willoughby, Ohio.

As a freshman at Kent State, Nancy met Bill Wise at a springtime sorority/fraternity party. The following fall, Bill asked his fraternity brother to set him up on a date with Nancy. They were never apart again.

Her mother's illness caused Nancy to leave her beloved Kent at the start of her junior year. Bill had graduated and was drafted into the Army. He came home on leave to marry Nancy on a Wednesday: April 28, 1954. Bill and Nancy celebrated their seventieth wedding anniversary last spring.

Bill and Nancy built a wonderful life together. Their early days were spent in Ft. Smith, Arkansas while Bill was in the service. Subsequent years with three daughters in tow were spent in Cleveland, Tulsa,Oklahoma, and Long Island, NY before the family settled in Westerville, Ohio in 1964.

Though an active and engaged parent, Nancy was determined to finish her education. She juggled motherhood and school for several years and graduated with a degree in education from The Ohio State University in 1970. Nancy began a teaching career the next fall at Huber Ridge Elementary School. There, she served among colleagues she called friends until her retirement in 1994.

Nancy kept busy in her post-career years. She volunteered at Huber Ridge's library and at the YWCA's Generations child care. She and Bill traveled the country and the world. They visited much of Europe several times over, and had a particular fondness for London. Their many adventures included meeting relatives in Sweden, seeing the Russian palaces of St. Petersburg, cruising through Alaska, and taking many trips to the American Southwest.

Nancy's other interests included good books, good movies, long walks, and needlework. She was an accomplished sewist and made Easter outfits for her daughters each year throughout their childhoods. As the years went by, Nancy also enjoyed lunches with her daughters, Ohio State football games, and the annual trip to Sunset Beach, North Carolina with Bill, their daughters, and their daughters' families. Known as Nanny to her grandchildren, Nancy loved each of them deeply. She never missed the chance to share meaningful books and memories or offer support by attending countless recitals, plays, concerts, sporting events, and celebrations.

Nancy is survived by her husband, Bill; her daughters and their spouses Patricia Lightle (Bob), Catherine Fowler (Ollie), and Laura Wise-Blau (Eddie Blau); her grandchildren and their spouses/significant others Benjamin (Jessica), Patrick (Sarah), Alexandra (Stephen), Sam (Stacy), Hannah (Daniel), and Abram (Erin); and her great-grandchildren Elias and Cecily. She is also survived by her brother Tom Burch and her cousin Barbara DiDonato.

Calling hours are 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.Thursday, August 8 at Moreland Funeral Home, 55 East Schrock Road, Westerville, Ohio. A service will immediately follow. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to Capital City Hospice or the Westerville Education Foundation. And in the spirit that guided Nancy throughout her life, the family encourages us all to be kind to one another.