NANCY LEE SEVIER

SEVIER, Nancy Lee (Wertheimer) Of Brookline, MA, formerly of Needham, MA, brilliant, magnetic, and the kind of generous that changes people's lives, passed away, on the morning of July 15, surrounded by her loved ones. Born on January 23, 1942, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Nancy was the third of four children born to Clara and Lee Wertheimer. She met the love of her life, Dick Sevier, when they were children in Sunday school. Together, they raised two children: Sally (of Brookline, MA) and John (of Plymouth, MA), whom Nancy loved with unwavering and unconditional devotion. She led them in Brownies and Cub Scouts, took them all around Boston, and cherished their time at the beach. While raising her young family, Nancy began working as a nurse at New England Baptist Hospital, where she discovered her true calling. "Once a nurse, always a nurse," she'd say. Her keen mind and caring spirit helped her rise to the highest levels of her profession. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing while working full-time, developed deep expertise in orthopedic nursing, received the Kirkby Memorial Service Award, and loved doing rounds with doctors, who valued her clinical insight and sharp observations. She especially loved teaching pre-op classes (often filled to capacity), mentoring nursing students, co-leading studies, and co-authoring journal articles: sharing her knowledge and passion with the next generation of nurses. Nancy loved to travel and never wanted to miss a cruise or trip. She was especially fond of New Zealand and treasured visits to her son, John's, home there, often with her daughter, Sally. Her love of food was quirky and specific, Graeter's ice cream, Skyline Chili, White Castles, fudge, pumpkin trifles, "salt sandwiches," but she also adored gourmet meals where every detail mattered. She was an avid reader with a wide range of interests. Children and dogs adored her, and the feeling was mutual. When Nancy entered a child's world, they knew something fun was coming. She encouraged the kids in her life to splash in puddles, eat ice cream for breakfast, make mischief, and turn ordinary days into adventures. Nancy also loved games and was unapologetically competitive. She was a passionate member of her bridge club and always looked forward to hosting. She infused every family gathering with that same playful spirit, organizing bets, anagram challenges, March Madness brackets, debates over who made the best fudge, and armed with her medical kit, blood pressure contests, just for fun. Nancy faced a lifetime of health battles, any one of which might have felled someone less stubborn, but she returned again and again with grit, humor, and a remarkable zest for life. Nancy was remarkably resilient. Even in her later years, while managing chronic and often intense pain, she remained focused on the people, places, and joys she loved most. Her family is deeply grateful that her final days were spent in peace and free of pain. Nancy was complex, extremely bright, loyal, witty, and delightfully, wonderfully outrageous. She brought joy and mischief to everything she touched, and she would drop everything to be there for the people she loved. Her help made all the difference. She is survived by her children, Sally and John; her brother, Tom (of Cincinnati); her sister, Jane (of Brookline); her sister-in-law, Nancy (of Fairborn); ten nieces and nephews; fourteen great-nieces and nephews; and a lifetime's worth of cherished friends. She was predeceased by her parents, Clara and Lee; her brother, Charlie; her sister-in-law, Karen; and her beloved husband, Dick. Visitation begins at 10:00 a.m. and Funeral Services begin at 11:00 a.m., on Saturday, July 19, at the George F. Doherty and Sons Funeral Home, in NEEDHAM, MA, with Graveside Service at Needham Cemetery. Donations can be made to the Karen Wertheimer Butterfly habitat at the Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 or The American Nurses Foundation, P.O. Box 504342 Saint Louis, MO 63150. For online guestbook, gfdoherty.com George F. Doherty & Sons Needham 781 444 0687