Nancy Blemly

1953 - 2015

Nancy Carol Blemly, of Ellicott City MD, peacefully passed away into the hands of our Lord on November 3, 2015 after a valiant fight with cancer. Born in Chicago, IL on September 2, 1953 at the University of Chicago hospital, she was the oldest child of Pearl Stephania Roediger and Kenneth Howard Smith. Nancy was predeceased by her parents. She is survived by her husband, Mike Blemly, son Ben Hamilton and fiancé John Turner, David Smith and wife Kay Culver, brother Jeff Shane Curren and wife Angela, sister Karen Smith and partner Jim Myers, and nephews Angelo, Samuel and Ethan Curren. She leaves behind her Aunt Marie Comiskey and cousins from Chicago, Chapin cousins in California and Smith relatives in Michigan. Growing up, Nancy and her siblings enjoyed a nomadic life due to her father's career with the U.S. Geological Survey, living in a dozen states and 19 different places, and finally settling down in Fairfax, VA when she was 14. In 1971, Nancy graduated from Herndon High School. She achieved a BA degree in astronomy from Wesleyan University, CT in 1975, and a Masters from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio in 1981. Nancy loved astronomy, a passion that remained with her throughout her life. After graduation she began employment with the National Security Agency, initially in technical positions and retiring as a manager in 2014. Nancy took over her Mother's passion for genealogy and kept in contact with all the relatives, both near and far. Nancy enjoyed quilting and was a member of the Annapolis Quilt Guild. She created clever quilts for her siblings and one for her mother that includes all the places that they had lived growing up. Everyone that knew Nancy, knew of her sense of humor and her great laugh, just like her Mother and Grandmothers. Her humor exhibited itself in her gift giving through funny and whimsical gifts. Nancy's sense of humor never left her personality even as cancer progressed. Nancy met her soul mate, Mike Blemly, in Hawaii at a technical conference. In their years together, she experienced tremendous joy and happiness. They continued to travel to Hawaii to explore their love of the Islands. She was the proud mother of her son Ben and hoped to celebrate her son's upcoming wedding in March. She will be missed by many. Visitation will be held at Harry H. Witzke's Family Funeral Home, Ellicott City, MD on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2015, between 2:00-4:00pm and 6:00-8:00pm. A memorial service will be held at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ellicott City, MD on Monday Nov. 9, 2015 at 10:00am, followed by interment at Fairfax Memorial Park, Fairfax, VA at 1:00pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Lung Association or to the American Cancer Society.