Nancy Leigh Penfield

1933 - 2025

Nancy Leigh Penfield

January 26, 1933 - January 18, 2025

Dover, Delaware - Nancy Leigh Penfield, age 91, passed away on January 18, 2025 at the Delaware Hospice Center in Milford, Delaware (DE), after a short illness. She was born on January 26, 1933 in Woodbridge, New Jersey (NJ), the only daughter of George F. and Doris E. (Dayer) Rothweiler. Nancy was raised with her three brothers in Clark, NJ after moving there in 1935. She was educated in Clark Public Schools and graduated from Jonathan Dayton Regional High School in Springfield, NJ in 1950. Having decided early in life to become a nurse, Nancy attended the St. Luke's Hospital School of Nursing in New York City, graduating as a Registered Nurse (RN) in 1953. She began her nursing career in the Labor and Delivery Room at Overlook Hospital in Summit, NJ.

Nancy married Richard Anthony Penfield on April 24, 1954 at the St. Mark's Catholic Church in Rahway, NJ. Nancy and Richard were married for almost 49 years, remaining together until his death in March, 2003. Due to multiple moves in support of Richard's United States Air Force (USAF) career, Nancy worked in multiple Labor and Delivery Rooms including Lancaster General Hospital in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Marion General Hospital in Marion, Indiana; the Chickasawba Hospital in Blytheville, Arkansas (AR); USAF Hospital, Grand Forks, North Dakota; Kent General Hospital in Dover, Delaware (DE); and St. Joseph Hospital in Wichita, Kansas. After Richard's USAF retirement in 1978, Nancy worked at the Gulfport Memorial Hospital in Gulfport, Mississippi and at the St. John's Medical Center in Berryville, AR. She retired from nursing in 2000 after a 47 year career.

Throughout Nancy and Richard's 48 year plus marriage, they and their ever growing family, also lived in McDowell, Kentucky; Wiesbaden, Germany; and Clark Air Base, Republic of the Philippines. After Richard's retired from his career as a nurse anesthetist in 1990, the Yankee Girl and her New York Fellow retired to Mano, Missouri (MO) - God's Country in Southwest Missouri.

Nancy was predeceased by her husband, Richard in 2003; daughters Laurie in 2001 and Angela in 2019; her parents, George and Doris Rothweiler; grandparents Howard and Edith Dayer; grandfather George F. Rothweiler; and her three brothers, George F. Rothweiler III, Paul R. Rothweiler, and L. Neil Rothweiler.

Survivors include two daughters, Leigh Ann (Richard), Crofton, Maryland; Ellen McDowell, Dover, DE; two sons, Rear Admiral (Ret) Jeffrey R. (Cynthia) Blue Springs, MO; and David E (Susan) Huntsville, Alabama. Grandchildren include Wayne Chomitz, Lindsey McDowell, Leslie McDowell, Jennifer Grebe (Carlton), Jeffrey R. Penfield II (Megan), Scott Penfield (Nikki), Keegan Laessig, Angela Glover, Stephanie Lucas (William), Christopher Little, David Penfield, Richard Penfield (Susanna), and Matthew Penfield. Precious great grandchildren include DeShawn, Aniya, Jailyn, Aliyah, Jackson, Wesley, Dylan, Cameron, Bennett, Jeffrey R. III, Ava, Eleanor, Tyler, Harmony, Cortland, Jessica, Skylar, Ember, and Hazel; plus many cousins, nieces and nephews, along with special sister-in-law Barbara Rothweiler.

Nancy loved her family, her work with laboring patients, her friends, her church, and singing. She has been a choir member wherever she has lived. Before moving to Dover, DE in 2007, she was a choir member at Holy Family Catholic Church in Shell Knob, MO and All Faith United Methodist Church, in Eagle Rock, MO. Nancy also sang with the Melodears, an all-female choir who donated to local music students and to the "Lives Under Construction" Boys Ranch in Lampe, MO. While living in Missouri, Nancy began her voluntary service with the Southwest Missouri Office of the Aging Income Tax Preparation Program. She has continued to work with the AARP Tax Preparation team in Dover, DE.

In 1994, Nancy was the captain of a Team of Walkers to support annual walk for Multiple Sclerosis. Nancy continued those same sponsored walks in Dover. Nancy has been a member of the Tradition choir at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Dover since 2008 as well as the Modern Maturity's Glee Club who have sung at many Dover nursing centers including Daybreak, an adult daycare program. Nancy also volunteered with Delaware's Money Management Program for several years serving Delawareans with their financial needs.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Holy Cross Catholic Church at noon on Thursday, January 30, 2025. Nancy's ashes will be buried with husband Richard's at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia at a later date. Memorial donations can be sent to Holy Cross Church in Dover, DE; to St. Edward's Catholic Church in Cassville, MO; or to the Delaware Hospice Center in Milford, DE. Condolences can be sent to the Pippin Funeral Home, 119 W. Camden-Wyoming Ave.; Wyoming, DE 19934.