Nancy Collin Aebersold

Nancy Collin Lightner Aebersold, 83, deeply loved and deeply loving, passed away at 2:17 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, with her two daughters at her side.
Nancy was born in New Jersey on June 22, 1941, to Margaret Collin Lightner and Lawrence Chute Lightner. She and her younger siblings, Lawrence Jr., "Lar" or "Lig," and Susan (now Davison) grew up in Morristown, N.J., where at age 4 she met her dearest friend Suzan "Suzy" Foreman Gaines.
In 1959, Nancy went to Oberlin College. She met Robert Aebersold one day during a chance encounter at Oberlin High School; they fell in love and were married in 1964 in Salisbury, Conn. They moved first to Hanover, Ind., then to Takoma Park, Md., where she taught elementary school to some very lucky kids.
In 1968, they moved to Slippery Rock, where they settled in as part of the Bradman Estates and Slippery Rock University (SRU) communities. Nancy and Bob often expressed how lucky they felt to have such dear friends not only in Slippery Rock, but in Bayside, Maine; Casey Key, Fla.; and eventually in Greensboro, N.C.
Nancy never took credit for all the people she supported, helped and loved. She lived her life with compassion and generosity, with a gift of listening that remains unmatched. The refrain about her life repeated to us by so many people sounds like this: She made me feel special. She made me feel safe. She made me feel heard. She believed in me.
Much of her life was lived behind the scenes, making life creative, surprising and meaningful at every turn. If you have been her neighbor, no doubt you have been surprised by a homemade sign in your yard or on your door, welcoming you home from a trip, congratulating you on a new job, or wishing you a happy birthday. Sometimes the signs included lights or lobster claws or glitter. They always made you feel loved and special.
Nancy leaves a legacy of love that will outlive us all, but that currently resides in two grateful daughters and their husbands, Alicia Aebersold and Lester Burke of Washington, D.C., and Amanda Aebersold Couture and Paul Couture of Greensboro, N.C.; as well as four beloved grandchildren of whom she was exceedingly proud, Andrew Couture, 24, Elliot Couture, 22, Miranda Aebersold-Burke, 21, and Madeline "Maddie" Aebersold-Burke, 17.
She now joins her beloved Robert, her parents, and her many friends who have gone before for the most joyous porch party of all time. She no doubt will bring the veggie trays, something funny to share, and that beautiful smile.
AEBERSOLD - A celebration of the life of Nancy Collin Lightner Aebersold, who died Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at Slippery Rock University at the Alumni House; reception to follow. For information on livestreaming the service, please contact alumni@sru.edu.
In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in memory of Nancy Aebersold to support cancer research and patient care at: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284 or via dana-farber.org/gift. This is a cause she had supported for the last 30 years.
We also strongly suggest you buy some poster board and markers and make a sign for someone in your neighborhood who needs cheering up, is celebrating something, or is coming home. Be sure to add a little glitter or a glow stick.