Nancy Lee Nerbonne

Nancy Lee Nerbonne (nee Karczewski), age 78, of Mt. Pleasant, Michigan passed away on June 3, 2023 surrounded by her loving husband and children. She was diagnosed with ocular melanoma in 2019, which had recurred elsewhere in recent months.

Nancy was the second oldest of six children who grew up in Traverse City, Michigan. The Karczewski siblings were close and enjoyed many adventures and activities together, including an often-discussed cross-country road trip in the family station wagon with Nancy's mother Marguerite and twin sister Genevieve to visit national parks in the American west. In high school, Nancy made close friendships that lasted a lifetime.

In Traverse City Nancy met the love of her life, Mike Nerbonne. After a year with both of them studying at Northwestern Michigan College, Nancy attended the University of Michigan while Mike attended Michigan State University. Despite the challenge of distance (and school rivalry), they dated throughout college, then married following graduation.

Nancy was a lifelong educator in Idaho and Michigan, teaching elementary school for 30+ years. She was a dedicated teacher who was beloved by her students and a mentor to her colleagues. Many years after retiring she would cross paths with adult former students in the grocery store who spoke of the positive impact she had on their lives.

A devoted mother, together with Mike, she raised their four children while living in Idaho and Michigan, sharing their love of the outdoors with regular camping trips to favorite locations like Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. She later loved and nurtured her four grandchildren and her grand-dogs. Ever the educator, she enjoyed sharing lessons with her grandchildren about the broader world.

Nancy had a life-long interest in other cultures, taking exchange trips to Costa Rica, El Salvador, Japan, and Russia. Rather than simply traveling as a tourist, Nancy sought experiences that included living with people in host countries so that she could learn about local customs and everyday life in the places she visited. Nancy also had a passion for family history that led her to investigate her roots and eventually travel to Norway with family members to meet distant relatives still living in the old country.

Faith was important to Nancy. She was active in her churches including as an eucharistic minister, helping to start a Sunday School program, and sponsoring new refugees. She also helped to provide resources to a sister community in El Salvador that she later was able to visit through The Faith Weavers, her faith community in the later part of her life.

In retirement Nancy savored time with her family and friends. She and Mike also enjoyed spending time at their cottage on Platte Lake near Frankfort, Michigan including tending to her native flower gardens and enjoying outdoor activities.

Throughout her life, Nancy believed strongly in the principles of generosity, kindness, respect, hard work and a positive attitude. She lived a life of giving to others, whether through small kindnesses and thoughtful words, raising her children, or through her career's work of nurturing her students.

Nancy is survived by her loving husband of 56 years, Michael, her children Nick (Emma Boulet), Brian (Julia), Jenny (and Golden Retriever, Lucy), and Christina (Sean) Fleming; siblings Kathy (Alan) Snyder, Marilyn (Bill) Schulz, Jim (Valerie Atkin) Karczewski, Dave (Beth) Karczewski; in-laws Pat and Judy Nerbonne; grandchildren Lucas, Clara, Owen, and Henry, and numerous nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents Ed and Marguerite Karczewski, beloved aunt Genevieve Olsen, brother Bob Karczewski, niece Amy Karczewski, and nephew Dylan Karczewski.

Funeral services will be held June 21, 2023 at St. Vincent de Paul Church, Shepherd, Michigan at 11:00 a.m. Visitation will take place before the service at the church starting at 10:00 a.m., and a luncheon in the parish hall will immediately follow the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to causes that were of importance to Nancy, either The Faith Weavers support of their sister community in El Salvador or the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation's Kellogg Youth Fund.