Nancy Suzanne Nesheim

Nancy Suzanne Nesheim was born February 5, 1959, in Colorado Springs, CO, to George and Joanna (Hurst) Nesheim. She passed on October 5, 2025, following a lengthy battle with cancer.

Nancy was the sixth child and the fifth girl in the Nesheim family. In August 1960, the family moved to Forest Grove, OR where George attended Optometry School at Pacific University. The family lived in married student housing (former Army housing that was moved from Salem, OR) on campus. Life on campus was filled with family sing-alongs, 25-cent Saturday matinees, swimming at the public pool, playing on the lawns of PU, and trips to the ocean every summer.

In 1965, after George graduated from optometry school, the family moved to The Dalles, OR, where George joined an established practice. It was in The Dalles that Nancy started school.

The family moved to Bainbridge Island, WA, when George opened his own practice there in 1968. Nancy, being the youngest, had unique challenges. To be a part of any dinner-table conversations, she learned she needed to talk loud and to voice her opinions. In sibling squabbles, she was known to have the last word before slamming her bedroom door.

Nancy joined every club in high school. She participated in service club, pep club, concert choir, and the homecoming court, and she was the business manager on the school annual staff. She was active in Campfire, Episcopal Youth Community/EYC (fondly nick-named “the European Yacht Club”) and attended every football and basketball game. Having older siblings allowed her to know a lot of “upper classmen” and she was friends with everyone! She graduated from Bainbridge High School in 1977.

She chose to attend Western Washington University like her sisters (go Vikings!), and graduated from Western in 1984 with a business degree that she had designed. She began working for Pacific Northwest Bell (later USWEST), working in human resources/payroll. She became lifelong friends with many coworkers, and they often traveled together.

She left USWEST after 20 years and began working for Nordstrom. As a project manager in benefits, she made friends with people she worked with around the world. During this time she enrolled in graduate school, receiving her MBA from Seattle Pacific in 1999. She retired from Nordstrom in July 2021 and did contracting work with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

In 2022 she moved to Puyallup to be closer to family. Never an idle person, she was involved in the leadership at Christ Episcopal Church, served on the vestry and helped with the church office restructure. She was passionate about providing food for those in need and served meals on Wednesdays at St. Lawrence Ministry.

Nancy loved to travel and encourage her nieces, nephews, and godchildren to be adventuresome. She was the “fun” aunt who would plan special activities with each child. Her connection was deep, whether it was watching the Seahawks, the ballet, theater, Dance Revolution or playing Guitar Hero. She attended as many of their school events as possible, including choir concerts, theater, baseball soccer games, and state track meets. They would often turn to her for advice. She had an ear to listen to their concerns or worries, and tried to only give advice when asked.

She deeply loved her friends. Her adventuresome spirit would take her exploring the United States and around the world with her many friend groups. She had a travel group from US WEST (who resided in different states) and regular dinner dates with her Nordstrom cohorts. She rode the Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic (STP) several times with her friend, Katie, and pedaled across Iowa (RAGBRI) several times with Katie, nephew Jordan, and her dad as “Team George.” She climbed Mt. Rainier (almost making it to the top), and competed in ballroom dancing with her friend, Tim. Her college friend, Dana, was often her international travel buddy. The beach was the place she loved to spend her time the most. Beach trips were often with her college roomie, Julie.

Diagnosed with cancer in 2015, Nancy decided that, with whatever time she had she had remaining, she would live her life to the fullest…and she did!

Nancy is survived by her siblings and their families: Elizabeth Simson (Larry), Tyler (Lauren), and Justin. Leslie Noborikawa (Ron), Megan and Ryan (Nicole). Marta Thackeray (Jim), Sam, and Britta Baker (Brendon). David Nesheim (Bonnie), Jordan (Kalani) and Olivia. Bill Powell, Daniel, Brian, and Kaitlin. She is also survived by many cousins. Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, George and Joanna Nesheim, her sister, Kristine N. Powell, and by her grandparents and numerous aunts and uncles.

A Celebration of Life service was conducted for Nancy in Puyallup on November 22nd, 2025. A short graveside service and interment of Nancy’s ashes will be held on Saturday, May 30th at 11:00 am at the First Lutheran Church Cemetery, 18920 4th Ave NE, Poulsbo, WA 98370. Immediately following the graveside service, an informal outdoor reception will be held at Nelson Park, 20296 3rd Ave NW, Poulsbo, WA. Friends and acquaintances are invited to participate. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Nancy’s honor to the St. Lawrence Ministries at Christ Episcopal Church, Puyallup, WA; to any homelessness/housing charity; or to your own favorite charity.

When asked by a friend why she was always so happy, Nancy’s reply was, “When I have the choice between sad, mad, or happy, I always choose happy.”