Nancy Ann Garretson

Nancy Garretson never lost her ability to make others feel special, even decades after her body failed her. The strongest person many have known, she passed peacefully at her home October 10, 2025, surrounded by the loves of her life: her three children and her dog.

Born Sept. 15, 1960, in Butler, Pennsylvania, she grew up the youngest of six children to Betty Jean Gaub (Minor) and Elmer Edwin Gaub Jr. Nancy called many states home including Illinois, Florida, Colorado and Arizona, before returning to Iowa in 1998. Before her body no longer allowed her, she worked in many customer service-focused roles, most prominently for Cox Cable and at hotels around the country. But she found her truest calling as a mother with the birth of her children, Hawley, Abby and Jordan.

While Nancy faced exhausting decades of chronic illnesses with remarkable perseverance, she refused to let sickness define her—or limit her spirit, sense of humor and dedication to her loved ones. She focused on maintaining her limited strength for her children while creating an incredible second family with dozens of healthcare professionals who cared for her.

Nancy could be bedridden in a hospital with a life-threatening infection, but never let that stop her from asking about nurses and doctors’ lives and families. She took immense pride in remembering personal details and could make anyone she spoke to feel like the most important person in the world.

She inherited a love of football and bonded with her brother, Steve, over their fandom for the Green Bay Packers. But step into her living room on a Sunday, and you’d find her happy to watch any game on TV, regardless of the teams playing. She also adored classic rock—REO Speedwagon concerts were a regular occurrence. As her energy waned in her final years, she continued to find joy in gardening, coordinating activities for her fellow residents, and serving as a friend and confidant to many until her passing.

In addition to Hawley, Abby, Jordan, and Stephen, Nancy is survived by her dog, Scout; six grandchildren, Evan, Cameron, Charly, Braxtyn, Cooper and Renlee; sisters, Carol and Mary Jo; brother, Richard; and hundreds of friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother, David; and dogs, Lady and Buddy.

Nancy’s life will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, October 17, 2025, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Marion, Iowa. Following the service, her children will greet friends and family at the funeral home until 1 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to St. Luke’s Foundation (Cedar Rapids) and the Cedar Valley Humane Society in Nancy’s memory.