Nancy Ruell Remley

April 21, 1932 - July 1, 2019

Nancy Anne Ruell entered this world into the loving arms of her parents Hilda and Merrill on April 21st, 1932 in South Haven, Michigan. She moved to Royal Oak, MI during high school where she flourished and excelled academically. She also met the true love of her life, Richard Remley (Dick to all who loved him), beginning a decades-long love story. Supported by her family and Dick, she then pursued her dream of being a special education teacher, becoming the first person in her family to attend and complete college. Her first career role was in educating blind and deaf children at the Michigan State School for the Blind. Throughout the years she reflected with pride on her tenacity, learning and joy in working with these very special children and on her career. After completing their degrees Nancy and Dick married June 19, 1954. They went from a couple to a family; five girls were born into their circle of love from 1955 to 1962. They raised their daughters Nicky (German), Karen (Onufer), Janice (Wade), Susie (Beckerle) and Betsy (Lenger) to embrace the key tenets of love and commitment to family and lifelong education. Nancy returned to professional special needs education, showing her girls how to successfully combine and value their personal and professional lives. She taught at many levels throughout the St. Louis County School system and impacted many students and their families throughout her career. Known as a dedicated, pragmatic and positive teacher leader, she mentored many early career teachers, sharing her wisdom and thoughtful approach to nurturing and teaching students with complex needs. Throughout it all, Nancy was devoted to Dick and their family. Nancy and Dick enjoyed watching their family grow as their daughters finished college, married, and began to extend the circle of love to their spouses and children. Megan, Stephanie, Morgan, Lindsey, Kathleen, Emily, Christine, Jennifer, Adrienne, Samantha, Elizabeth, Katy, Andrew, Danny, Becca and Meg have all felt the loving embrace of being a “Remley grandchild”. That circle now expands to nine great grandchildren with another on the way. Sadly, Dick passed away unexpectedly in 2001 and her heart was broken. From that day forward, Nancy talked about Dick and their love to all she met, and through her conversations continued the legacy of their love story. Nancy found friendship with Richard Wilhelm and they were married for 5 years, until his death. Nancy has spent her most recent years at Aberdeen, where she has been surrounded by friends and family. She was an accomplished and avid bridge player and enjoyed many a game in the afternoons. Sharing stories, having dinners with her daughters and participating in family celebrations- weddings, graduations, and great-grandchildren have been her joy. After a fall and brief ICU stay, she sadly passed away July 1, 2019 at Mercy Hospital in the company of her five daughters. She entered back into the arms of her parents, Dick her husband, and her sisters Janice and Kathleen. Her family takes comfort in knowing that she is in a circle of love and caring. There will be services for the immediate family and a Celebration of Life Open House to be scheduled at a date to include Nancy’s large and loving circle of family and friends. In lieu of flowers, donations in her name can be made to the Easter Seal Society.