Nancy Sherman, age 67, born February 17, 1937 in Chicago, IL, passed away peacefully at her home in Goodyear, AZ on February 6, 2005 after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. While she had multiple careers (mainly in the travel industry with Delta Airlines, and in library sciences at Oakton Community College) and volunteer interests (recording books for Lighthouse for the Blind, being “Our Lady of Tuesday” in the office at St. Emily’s School), most people best remember Nancy for the humor she infused into all of those jobs and into everyday life. She could instantly light up a room with a funny joke or uncannily accurate accent. She not only brought laughter to thousands of people through her humor of everyday living, but also entertained myriad people on the radio (“Miss Music”), in stand-up comedy (“Nancy King”), in USO shows, and in theatrical presentations and plays. Nancy was still entertaining and giving the gift of laughter despite receiving active treatment for stage four pancreatic cancer, having performed her last stand-up comedy show just months before her untimely death. She is survived by her husband of 43 years, Robert, of Goodyear, AZ; mother Nellie Baczynksi of Novato, CA; daughter Laura K. Sherman, MD of Houston, TX; daughter Kathryn (Victor) Streeby of Sheboygan Falls, WI; brother John (Dianne) Baczynski of Novato, CA; and countless other dear family members and friends. A memorial service for our local friends in Arizona will be held at Valley West Funeral Chapel, 926 S. Litchfield Rd, Goodyear, AZ on Saturday, February 12. Visitation at 9 a.m. followed by rosary recitation at 10 a.m. For our Midwestern friends and family, a memorial service will be held at Matz Funeral Home, 410 E. Rand Rd., Mt. Prospect, IL on Saturday February 26, from 5 to 9 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the charity that is dedicated to bringing Nancy’s legacy of laughter, happiness, and hope to other patients and families whose quality of life has been affected by pancreatic cancer: The Nancy Sherman Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Patients, P.O. Box 4737, St. Louis, MO 63108. “Live, Love, Laugh!”
