Nancy J LeVan

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Nancy J. LeVan, a highly respected attorney, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Nancy passed away on April 5, 2023 at the age of 71, following a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer, with her family by her side.

Nancy was born September 27, 1951 in Waterloo, IA, and grew up in Tempe, Ariz. before moving to the Fresno area in 1975. It was there she met the love of her life, Sharon Bagdasarian, joining their lives in marriage on April 10, 1987. Nancy and Sharon lived a beautiful life, sharing their love of music, the ocean, family, and the numerous rescue dogs and cats that were also part of the family.

Nancy believed in living her life in service to others. She combined this mindset with her interest in law and became an attorney. In the year 2000, at the age of 49, she graduated from San Joaquin College of Law, receiving her Juris Doctor. She operated her own practice for 20 years, where she was highly respected for her work in estate planning and probate law. She received numerous awards recognizing the pro-bono work that she was so passionate about and was always willing to help others in need.

Nancy's family was always important in her life. She had three children, Richard, Idell, and Craig, who always made her very proud. Although much of the family lived in the Midwest, she was very actively involved in their lives, frequently video chatting with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and traveling to see them on many special occasions. Nancy always would say goodbye with "I love you" in sign language.

Nancy was a woman with many passions. She loved clowns, making people laugh,hummingbirds, watching her fish as they swam in the tank, working in the yard, bowling, playing tennis, and having game night with her family and friends. Holidays were always made special with her special meals, like Chili on Halloween, Green Chili Burritos on Birthdays and Rack of Lamb at Christmas. The food was always amazing and there was always laughter around the table.

Nancy was preceded in death by her son, Richard LeVan, and grandson, Gideon LeVan. She is survived by her wife, Sharon Bagdasarian; her children, Idell (Michael) Johnston, Craig (Sam) LeVan; her grandchildren, Grant (Amber) Johnston, Will (Grace) Johnston, Penny LeVan, Kira LeVan; and great-grandchildren, Sophie and Caroline Johnston.

Services will take place at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1343 E. Barstow Ave., Fresno, on Saturday, May 6, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Central California Legal Services at 2115 Kern St. Ste 200, Fresno, CA 93721. You can make donations online at https://centralcallegal.org . Nancy will be deeply missed by all who knew her.