Nancy Mary Wiedner

Nancy Mary Jensen Wiedner, 91, of Newport, NC, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, November 18, 2025. She passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her family and her Ms. Kitty.

A memorial service to honor Nancy’s life will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, November 23rd at Munden Funeral Home, officiated by Chaplain Rick Brooks. Interment will follow at Gethsemane Memorial Park in Newport. The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Saturday, November 22nd at Munden Funeral Home. For those unable to attend, the funeral service can be viewed through her obituary page on Munden Funeral Home’s website.

Nancy was born on August 13, 1934, in Stamford, Connecticut, to the late Edvin Johan Jensen and wife Alice Bertha Jensen. She graduated from Stamford High School in June of 1952 where she was a member of the high school band and sang in the church choir.

Immediately after graduation from Stamford High School, Nancy was employed by Connecticut Power Company in Stamford, Connecticut for four years as an Executive Secretary. In 1955 she married William “Bill” A. Wiedner, son of Arthur and Violet Wiedner, also of Stamford. Bill was proudly serving in the United States Marine Corps and together they spent time at duty stations in Lakehurst, NJ, Quantico, VA, Kaneohe (Oahu), Hawaii and finally at Cherry Point, NC where he retired in 1967 as a GySgt. During those tours, she worked for Reaction Motors as a Field Secretary for building, investigating, and evaluating the gas air catapult system testing steam vs air. In 1957, she worked as Secretary for the Director with Combat Operations Research Group on contract with the U.S. Army working on the M-14 rifles. In 1963, she was Secretary to the OIC at the Officers Club in Quantico, VA.

After Bills retirement from the Marine Corps in 1967, they established Wiedner’s Tropical Fish Bowl, a tropical fish shop in Newport. As their customer base grew, they changed the name to Wiedner’s Fish ‘n Pets and was located on the corner of Hwy. 70 W and Roberts Road intersection in Newport. Nancy always had a keen business sense and truly a natural love for fish and animals. Her superb interaction with her customers and her genuine care for pets allowed her to provide a welcoming atmosphere for those stretching across town, county, and state lines.

After 28 ½ years, of the pet shop business and Bills unexpected passing, Nancy closed out the pet shop and was able to travel to her lifetime dream place, her father’s home, in Svolvaer, Norway located in the Lofoten Islands and north of the Arctic Circle. She was able to meet so many of her father’s family members in Norway and travel some of Europe. Through that experience she opened the door for her Norwegian family to come here to USA which she dearly loved.

In the following years, Nancy worked for some local friends before accepting a job with The Newport Public Library. There she proudly served the public again. In 2007, Nancy retired from the library.

Nancy will be best known for her love and unrelenting dedication for her children, family, and friends. She always had compassionate care for others and wanting to help people out in all times of the day or night. Nancy was a hard and dedicated worker no matter where she was working. Nancy always said the saddest part of retiring from Wiedner’s Fish n' Pets and Newport Public Library was the loss of seeing so many customers which she greatly loved and helped.

She is survived by her two sons, William “Bill” D. Wiedner and wife Annette of Siler City, NC and Daniel A. Wiedner and wife Lisa of Newport, NC; brother-in-law, Clifford Smith of Morehead City, NC; a niece Dr. Amy Tocco of Connecticut; grandchildren Andrew J. Wiedner of Raleigh, NC, Crystal Wiedner of Siler City, NC, Christian A. Wiedner and wife Taylor of Newport, NC, Justin D. Wiedner and wife Hanna of Morehead City, NC; great grandchildren, Michael, Lilly, Corbin; and her companion, “Miss Kitty”.

In addition to her parents, Nancy was preceded in death by her beloved husband, William “Bill” A. Wiedner in 1993; sister, Deanna Smith of Morehead City, NC; and niece, Marjorie Chrostowski and nephew, Michael Chrostowski, both of New Canaan, Connecticut.

Flowers are welcome, or memorials can be sent to SECU Crystal Coast Hospice House in Newport at P.O. Box 640, Newport, NC 28570, Carteret County Humane Society in Newport, 853 Hibbs Rd., Newport, NC 28570, or a charity of one’s choice.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net.

Arrangements made by Munden Funeral Home and Crematory in Morehead City, NC.