Nancy Sager Bixby Stackhouse

Nancy Sager Bixby Stackhouse 1924-2008 Nancy, 83, passed away unexpectedly on May 31, 2008 at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan after suffering a cardiac arrest. She had just completed her annual journey from her home in Cochiti Lake, New Mexico to her family cottage at Christie Lake, Michigan. Nancy was born in Chicago and graduated from South Shore High School where she was dubbed "most likely to succeed." After working a year, including a stint with the Manhattan Project in Chicago, she entered The Ohio State University where she graduated with a BFA in studio art in 1947. Nancy married Edwin D. Stackhouse, Jr., a fellow OSU graduate and Columbus native, in 1947 and moved to East Lansing, Michigan where she raised four children and participated in many community volunteer efforts including Junior League and Sparrow Hospital Volunteers. She completed a master's degree in art at Michigan State and taught for five years in the Lansing Public School district. In 1966 she joined the MSU Department of Art as faculty of art education. She remained in that position until her retirement in 1989. One of her lasting contributions to the art education program is the Saturday Art Program which continues to this day. Throughout this period Nan was active as a painter and collage artist. She had a retrospective exhibition at the MSU Kresge Art Center in 1994 and participated in many other exhibitions. In addition, she began traveling extensively-visiting Europe, China, Russia, India, Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, Africa, South America, Cambodia and Cuba among many other sites. Her most recent trip was to Ireland in the fall of 2007. Upon retirement, Nancy moved to Cochiti Lake, New Mexico where she designed and had built a townhouse on Cochiti Pueblo land. Her love of the rich cultural mix of Native American, and Hispanic cultures was well known. At Cochiti Lake, she was an active member of the Library Association, the Rock & Mineral Club, the Art Guild and the Historical Club. Nan also volunteered as an art instructor at the Cochiti Lake Elementary School for many years. She provided countless volunteer hours in her community for its enrichment. She was an enthusiastic supporter of the Albuquerque Symphony and the Santa Fe Opera. Nancy was preceded in death by her son Stephen and granddaughter Nora. She will be missed by her children, Susan Russo (Bob Clyde) of Youngstown, Ohio, Scott of Columbus, Ohio, Edwin (Deborah) of Naples, Florida, and grandchildren Alex Russo (Washington, D.C.), Michael Stackhouse (Venice, California) and Hannah Stackhouse (Naples, Florida). A memorial service was held at Christie Lake on June 4. Another will be held at Cochiti Lake on July 26 at 11 a.m. Memorial contributions can be made to the Michigan State University Department of Art or the Nora Stackhouse Scholarship Fund in the College of Arts and Letters.