Nina Harrison

A Celebration of the Life of Nina Gidley Harrison, age 67, will be held on Saturday, July 22, 2017 at 11am at the First Presbyterian Church in East Jordan, MI. A luncheon will follow the tribute. Nina died on November 20, 2016. For 12 years she struggled against GBS (Gillian-Barre Syndrome) and all the after-effects and all the continuous new developments caused by this disease. Nina was born October 22, 1949 and grew up on Lake Charlevoix in East Jordan. Small town life was good. Nina went door-to-door selling Girl Scout cookies, baby sat, worked in her father's drugstore, taught Sunday school, and tapped maple trees. In school she played in the band, took photos for the yearbooks, participated in school plays and was active in numerous clubs. The entire family thoroughly enjoyed the year Marita, a foreign exchange student from Sweden, joined the family. After graduation, Nina attended Northwest Michigan Jr. College in Traverse City for 2 years. She then transferred into the Nursing program at Western Michigan University. Quickly Nina decided that nursing was not her calling and entered the business program. Meanwhile she married, had a son (Matt), a daughter (Kelly) and continued to attend school and work inside and outside the home. It took 10 years! Ten years of dedication and she had earned her bachelor degree. In the 70's, married women and working mothers were not accepted as they are today. When Nina was promoted at Philip Morris, the Kalamazoo Gazette published an article about her and her promotion. In 1994 Nina moved to Raleigh, NC seeking a warmer climate and new job opportunities. In 2002 she met Keith Harrison and they married on 1/2/2004. Two days later Nina was in the hospital ICU and remained there for almost 3 months. Together Nina and Keith faced many challenges presented by Nina's health operations, therapies, experimental drugs, blood transfers, etc. Although Nina never fully recovered, and before her health deteriorated more rapidly, she and Keith were able to travel to Alaska, do mini-casino trips, and visit family in MI and AZ. And joy of joy she became a grandmother four times a boy, a girl, a boy, and another girl. She was determined to make many great memories with them and she did! Nina's family and friends will always remember her courage, determination, sense of humor, and spirit as well as her love of eBay, for her cats, of East Jordan and her roots, and her total dedication and love of family. Nina is survived by husband Keith, son Matt (Julie) Gidley, daughter Kelly (Norberto) Rosado, 4 grandchildren (Silas, Makayla, Braiden, and Lola), her sister Sally Lilak, 2 nephews and 4 great nieces. She was preceded in death by her brother James Gidley (1974), her father Hugh Gidley (2008), and her mother Evelyn Gidley (2016). Memorials may be given to Transitions Hospice of Raleigh (250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607), a hospice of the donor's choice, or the First Presbyterian Church.

A Celebration of the Life of Nina Gidley Harrison will be held on Saturday, July 22, 2017 at 11am at the First Presbyterian Church in East Jordan, MI. A luncheon will follow the tribute.