Nancy Jean Carlson

On July 4th, 1937, in Rochester, NY, a firecracker named Nancy Jean Kennedy burst on the scene to the delight of her parents Ruth J. Kennedy and Harold E. Kennedy. For the next five years she enjoyed their undivided attention until her brother came along. Initially, she wasn't too sure about him and kept covering his face with a blanket.

Nancy passed away peacefully on October 2, 2025. She leaves behind her brother David H. Kennedy of Florida (Adrienne) who survived Nancy's tough love and became one of her favorite people and her children Julie Kestler (Harry) of Bay Village Ohio and Jeffrey Carlson (Patricia Franz) of Norman, Oklahoma. She also leaves behind her beloved grandsons Jacob Kestler (Kaitlin) of Elyria, Ohio and Justin Kestler (Lauren) of Avon Lake, Ohio. Nancy is preceded in death by her adoring husband of 61 years, Richard (Dick) W. Carlson whom she met when they attended The Rochester Institute of Technology and married August 23, 1958.

Prior to graduating with her degree in secretarial science, she was crowned Snowball Queen, learned the art of drinking beer with a goldfish swimming in it and downing a flaming-shot as she stood on her head, all while making tons of friends and achieving stellar grades. Nancy's secretarial skills got her foot in the door at an insurance agency and her outstanding organizational and streamlining skills made her quickly rise to Office Manager.

Nancy left the work world behind to raise her children and was a frequent chauffeur on class field trips. She "ran a tight ship" at home as she would say and used her organization skills at home to their fullest advantage. Nancy easily adhered to her schedule of once-a-week shopping and no need ever for last-minute grocery store runs because her pantry would rival any Giant Eagle. In addition to her unparalleled homemaking abilities, Nancy also loved blooming onions at Outback Steakhouse, playing cards, drinking Relax riesling, and bingeing her favorite violent Netflix shows.

It wasn't until her beloved grandchildren were born that Nancy was able to allow a little mess and chaos into her life. They adored Summer Camp at Grandma and Grandpa's where suddenly bedtimes weren't adhered to, snacks were plentiful and allowed to be eaten in more than one area of the house, and new toys and messy crafts were abundant. In 2004, Nancy even turned her organized life in Rochester upside down and dragged Dick to Avon Lake, Ohio to be with her grandsons more often and attend their school events and swim meets. In Avon Lake, Nancy quickly found an amazing community of domino and card-loving friends at the senior center and was a founding member of a twice-weekly fitness class of fabulous ladies that grew and evolved to become some of her dearest friends.

Nancy wasn't always a fan of certain humans, but she had great love and compassion for all animals and always had from one to three dogs at any given time. Her most current furry friend, Romeo, will take up residence in Bay Village, Ohio with Julie and Harry.

Nancy will leave a huge void in the lives of those that loved her. However, for those who knew her best, it will be impossible to stay sad for long as each memory that arises will inevitably invoke a smile or laugh as it is bound to be tied to her ability to find humor in any situation. The family will lay Nancy to rest in a private service and notify friends of a celebration of life that will be scheduled at a later date. If anyone would like to honor Nancy, a donation in any amount to the Lorain County Friendship Animal Protective League https://friendshipapl.org/, Love-A-Stray https://www.loveastraydog.com/ or any other favorite animal rescue would make our fun, feisty firecracker's light shine a little brighter and last a little longer.

(440) 933-3202 www.buschcares.com