Nancy was born November 3rd, 1934, in Livonia, Michigan to Maribel and Jack Murray, the 3rd of 4 children. She grew up in Livonia and went to Bentley HS, and then to Albion College where she earned a degree in economics. After graduation Nancy moved to Chicago, where she met Tony Atria in front of the Monet exhibit at the Chicago Art Institute. They were married in 1958 and moved to Wheaton, Illinois where they raised their two children, Joe and Marisa. They encouraged their children's love for sports and music, never missing a performance or competition. Time with family was always a priority. Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter were spent with the family in Chicago, where Aunt Fran and Aunt Ida taught Nancy about real Italian cooking. In the summertime, Nancy treated the kids to many idyllic summer months at her parents' farm on the shore of Lake Erie in Kingsville, Ontario with her siblings and their children eating new potatoes from the garden and fresh sweet corn from neighboring farms.
With the passing of her husband in 1979 Nancy returned to the workforce, first as District Office Manager for Canadian International Paper in Chicago. In time, as her children grew to adulthood, Nancy was drawn back to Michigan to be nearer to family. There she owned and operated a Chem Dry carpet cleaning franchise in Ypsilanti. After selling that business Nancy served three years as the house mother for the Delta Gamma sorority at University of Michigan. She left that position and took a position as the office manager for Campus Rentals in Ann Arbor, where she continued until her daughter Marisa opened her own Optometric practice in Lakewood, Colorado. Nancy relocated to Colorado to spend the next 17 years as the Office Manager for Vision Transformation. In 2022, at 88 years old, Nancy retired (finally) and spent her remaining years in Colorado.
Nancy loved gardening, knitting and playing cribbage. She loved trips to the farmers market in Golden and attending performances of the Colorado Symphony. She adored her grandchildren and delighted in their pursuits. In her later years she loved to sit on the patio with her dog Kit, looking at her roses, watching birds at the feeders and listening to the children at the nearby elementary school as they played together at recess.
Nancy dedicated her life to raising and providing for her family. She modelled service, work ethic, dedication and the value of family all her life.
Nancy is preceded in death by her parents, Maribel and Jack Murray, her husband Tony, her brother Bruce and Sister Jean, her friend and sister-in-law Gayle , and her dear friend Grace Mirrielees. She is survived by her daughter Marisa Kruger (Daniel L Kruger, deceased), her son Joe Atria (Susanne M Long Atria, deceased), her sister Rita, her grandchildren Melanie Atria, Anthony Atria, Alex Kruger (Aly) and Matthew Kruger, her beloved dog Kit, and many nieces and nephews
As per Nancy's desire for her survivors to "live among the living" there will be no formal visitation or funeral service. She requests instead that family and friends find opportunities to spend time together, retaining and strengthening the ties that bind.
In lieu of flowers, Nancy requests that financial support be directed to Children of Hope (cohafrica.org) or to Tunnels to Towers (t2t.org).
With the passing of her husband in 1979 Nancy returned to the workforce, first as District Office Manager for Canadian International Paper in Chicago. In time, as her children grew to adulthood, Nancy was drawn back to Michigan to be nearer to family. There she owned and operated a Chem Dry carpet cleaning franchise in Ypsilanti. After selling that business Nancy served three years as the house mother for the Delta Gamma sorority at University of Michigan. She left that position and took a position as the office manager for Campus Rentals in Ann Arbor, where she continued until her daughter Marisa opened her own Optometric practice in Lakewood, Colorado. Nancy relocated to Colorado to spend the next 17 years as the Office Manager for Vision Transformation. In 2022, at 88 years old, Nancy retired (finally) and spent her remaining years in Colorado.
Nancy loved gardening, knitting and playing cribbage. She loved trips to the farmers market in Golden and attending performances of the Colorado Symphony. She adored her grandchildren and delighted in their pursuits. In her later years she loved to sit on the patio with her dog Kit, looking at her roses, watching birds at the feeders and listening to the children at the nearby elementary school as they played together at recess.
Nancy dedicated her life to raising and providing for her family. She modelled service, work ethic, dedication and the value of family all her life.
Nancy is preceded in death by her parents, Maribel and Jack Murray, her husband Tony, her brother Bruce and Sister Jean, her friend and sister-in-law Gayle , and her dear friend Grace Mirrielees. She is survived by her daughter Marisa Kruger (Daniel L Kruger, deceased), her son Joe Atria (Susanne M Long Atria, deceased), her sister Rita, her grandchildren Melanie Atria, Anthony Atria, Alex Kruger (Aly) and Matthew Kruger, her beloved dog Kit, and many nieces and nephews
As per Nancy's desire for her survivors to "live among the living" there will be no formal visitation or funeral service. She requests instead that family and friends find opportunities to spend time together, retaining and strengthening the ties that bind.
In lieu of flowers, Nancy requests that financial support be directed to Children of Hope (cohafrica.org) or to Tunnels to Towers (t2t.org).
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Nancy Ann Murray Atria, please visit our flower store.
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