Nancy Brown

Nancy Brown was a nurturing, kind-hearted woman who tried each day to bring happiness into the lives of the many people she loved. She was a natural caregiver with a gift for making people feel better. Nancy devoted her life to her family and she found her greatest joys in their warm company.

The year 1939 was a time of grave uncertainty. With the German invasion of Poland, the Second World War gained momentum and spread through Europe. Everyone wondered when the United States would join the Allied effort. But, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, William Clifford "Cliff" and his wife Dala (Gillett) Harsh looked toward a different future, the future of their family. They were expecting a child, and on June 3, 1939 they were blessed with the healthy birth of their daughter Nancy.

Nancy was the oldest of 4 children. When she was 6, Michael came along and then at the ages of 11 and 12 Edith and then William came along. Cliff was a truck driver for his family's poultry farm, so as a young child Nancy lived in Texas and Chama, New Mexico. During World War II, the family moved to California in search of work. Her dad found work in an aircraft factory, supporting the war effort.

When Nancy was twelve her family moved to Plainwell because her father found steady work at KVP Paper Mill. Nancy settled into her new community and happily attended Plainwell schools where she was a cheerleader. To this day, she maintains close relationships with the members of her cheerleading team. As the older sister, Nancy also took on the role of "second mom" to her younger siblings. She cared for them when they were sick, took them to the fair, attended their school activities and invited them over to bake cookies or play cards. There was always a catch, however, like the kitchen needed to be cleaned or laundry folded before they could have fun.

On Nancy 's sixteenth birthday, she went on a date with a young Harold "Breezy" Brown. They went to the Plainwell High School All-School picnic. Although they didn't know it at the time, that date lead to their wedding on October 12, 1957. They were married in Plainwell Presbyterian Church, the church that Nancy grew up in, and they honeymooned in Traverse City.

After graduating from high school, Nancy went to work for Newman's Ice Cream (now Plainwell Ice Cream). She eventually took a job at Fred's Restaurant. In 1972, Nancy and Breezy made a courageous move. They bought Fred's Restaurant and on April Fool's Day 1972 Brown's Family Inn opened. It was a natural fit for Nancy since one of her favorite things to do was cook. In 1981, they sold the business and Nancy became the facility administrator for William Crispe Community House. Because of Nancy 's caring and nurturing nature, she was in her element at the assisted living facility. She ran the business with grace and know-how for over twenty years until she retired in January, 2006 due to her deteriorating health.

In 1961, Nancy and Breezy were blessed with the birth of their first son, William David "Billy", and then in 1965 with their second son, Patrick Lee. Nancy was a strong mother who knew how to be loving, kind and caring, but she was firm and could keep her boys in line. She raised her boys to be hard workers and to enjoy life. The welcome sign was always out at Nancy and Breezy's home. The boys often had their friends or teammates over to use the pool and to just hang out. Nancy was a supportive mother and she attended every sporting event she could. Nancy was also a loving grandmother. She and her grandchildren brought much joy to each others' lives.

Nancy was a natural in the kitchen. She loved to read cookbooks and over the years she acquired an extensive cookbook collection. During the past few years she became a fan of the Food Network. Nancy was the organizer of all the family functions making sure that there was always enough food for everyone. Nancy also loved to garden and to bird watch. She especially enjoyed watching the birds at the numerous feeders outside her kitchen window. Some of her favorite bird feeders were designed and crafted by her husband, Breezy.

Nancy and Breezy were long time friends with Larry and Patsy Nyberg and every year they would travel together to the Upper Peninsula. They made many trips to Paradise, White Fish Point and the surrounding areas. Nancy loved to walk the beach at Lake Superior. She enjoyed walking on the rocks, looking for agates and listening to the waves hit the rocks on the beach. Nancy and Breezy enjoyed other trips as well. They went to Florida where they always made sure they stopped at Angelo's near Alligator Point for "Heads-on" shrimp. They also visited the Bahamas a few times. On one memorable trip to Austria they took a side trip into Germany. When trying to return to Austria she encountered difficulties with the border patrol. It seems they didn't understand the difference between the state of New Mexico and the country of Mexico.

Nancy was very active in the community. She was a past member of the Plainwell Presbyterian Church and of the Plainwell/Otsego Jaycee's Auxiliary. She was in the charter graduating class of Wings of Hope Hospice volunteers. In recent years she was an active member of Doster Community Reformed Church. She volunteered whenever she could for whatever she could. She will be remembered for her caring, nurturing, active ways.

Five years ago, Nancy was diagnosed with cancer and she fought courageously until her death on May 20, 2006 at Rose Arbor Hospice.

Visit with Nancy 's family and friends on Tuesday, May 23rd, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Life Story Funeral Home, RDMG, Plainwell, 120 S. Woodhams. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, May 24th, at 11:00 a.m. at Doster Community Reformed Church, 12145 Doster Road. Nancy will be cremated; interment will be Thursday, May 25th, at 11:00 a.m. at Hillside Cemetery in Plainwell.

Members of Nancy's family include her husband Harold "Breezy", her children Bill Brown of Plainwell, Patrick (Laura) Brown of Rochester Hills, her mother Dala Walters of Plainwell, her grandchildren Joshua (Erica), Rachel (Jorge), Zebulun, Ethan and Logan, her great-grandson Jorge, siblings Michael (MaryAnne) Harsh of Ohio, Edith (Clinton Wheeler) Harsh of Lansing, William Harsh, Sue Harsh of Plainwell, her foster brother James Lighthizer of Kalamazoo, her in-laws Beatrice (Wayne) VanWeelden of Portage, LaVerne Brown (Carol Hood) of Florida, many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Please visit Nancy's memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can archive a favorite memory, order flowers or make a memorial donation to Rose Arbor Hospice, West Michigan Cancer Center, Wings of Hope Hospice or William Crispe Community House.