Nancy Visel

Always ready to find the joy in laughter, ever patient, and incredibly passionate about caring for others, Nancy Visel leaves behind a lasting legacy of her love. She was a caring wife, a loving mother, a cherished grandmother and friend to many. We will miss such a good soul.

Nancy made her life debut in the year of 1953. This year marked President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s first term in office which proved to be an exciting and popularly historic time. Marilyn Monroe and Peter Pan were common household names, and families everywhere anxiously anticipated the half hour airing of “I Love Lucy.” Though that particular program never broadcasted in color, this was the year a lucky viewer could actually purchase a color capable television set. The standard of living was steadily growing, and people were happily hula hooping while listening to rock -n- roll. Times were pretty good - especially for Kenneth and Edna (Keller) Schneidt, as they prepared to meet their first precious daughter. Nancy was welcomed into the world on October 22, 1953, in Grand Haven, Michigan. Nancy patiently waited for a little sister, as her parents added Roger, Craig, Dale, Brian, Tim and finally Christine to make their family complete.

Naturally, Nancy had a great responsibility being the oldest in the family, and perhaps this is what helped foster the desire to care for others. The family moved to Reed City, where the majority of Nancy's childhood was spent. She attended Trinity Lutheran School through 8th grade and then Reed City High School graduating with the class of 1971. The Schneidt's family foundation was built solidly on Lutheran values, and this carried into Nancy's life throughout. After graduation, she went to Ferris State College in Big Rapids where she earned her associates degree in nursing.

During the fall of her second year, and before the celebration of earning her nursing degree, Nancy met Barry Visel who would have a more important and larger impact on her life. They met in sociology class, and after chatting a few times they realized they had a lot in common. Barry mustered the courage to ask Nancy out on a movie date. The happy couple enjoyed watching "The Godfather," and soon began spending time doing the simple things only college kids know how to do best. They went berry picking, and finally, Barry introduced his love to the tasty world of Mexican food. Many great memories were shared between the two as they found more and more love together.

About a year after meeting one another in class, Nancy and Barry planned their wedding day. They exchanged vows on September 22, 1973, in Reed City at Trinity Lutheran Church, and Nancy's little sister, Christine, served as their flower girl. The newlyweds excitedly moved to Kalamazoo where Nancy landed her dream job in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Bronson Methodist Hospital. She loved this job and especially the close co-worker friends with whom she worked. This group became like family, and Nancy enjoyed their company for 20 years before she moved to another position at Rambling Road Pediatrics. Nancy's abundance of love for young children made her a particularly wonderful nurse, for her passion was evident every day she spent helping those in need of care.

And then, one of the greatest days of Nancy's life came to be: she discovered they were going to be parents! After waiting eagerly for the many months to pass, Nancy held Ben, her sweet son, in her arms. She and Barry savored the beauty of life in this precious moment. Life was almost complete, but there was still more love to share. Nancy was the driving force behind pursuing adoption to grow her family. With much excitement and anticipation, they soon welcomed two more sons, Peter and Gregory, into their home. Nancy's priority in life was to care for her boys and husband because she loved them so much. She wanted to instill the ability to be independent in her boys, but she was also quite protective of them. Throughout the years, they experienced many family vacations all over the United States and always had a great time together. Summer trips to Ludington and The Homestead Resort in Glen Arbor made memories the boys and Barry will keep with them forever.

When Nancy found time for herself, she appreciated many activities. She was an expert shopper and would spend hours window shopping without any direct purpose, yet she never returned home empty handed. She would also curl up and listen to Barry playing his guitar while finding relaxation in her knitting. Though Barry did most of the work, Nancy was fond of the family garden. With a desire to give back to the community, she volunteered with South County Services where she worked with Wednesday Winners at the Vicksburg United Methodist Church. This joyful job became very dear to her heart. She was a lover of seafood and would readily tell you the fried perch at Scotty’s in Ludington was the best you could find. Her voracious sweet tooth made her a big fan of all desserts, but Snickers candy bars were usually her first choice. Just recently, she and Barry traveled to Branson, MO with their mothers and had a grand time. Always, she knew how to experience the goodness in life because she had a great sense of humor and could endure the teasing from her loved ones.

Soon, Ben, Pete, and Greg became men and found adult lives and love of their own. Their new paths in life led Nancy to grow more room within her heart for love, as the gift of grandchildren blessed their lives. She became an amazing grandmother to Jacob, Joseph, Addison and Alexis. She doted on each of them and used her love for crafts as an excuse to spend more time with all of them.

Nancy’s passion for caring for the needs of others was truly admirable and a gift she graciously shared during her lifetime. Sadly, after 63 years, Nancy Visel took her last breaths in this life on Friday, May 26, 2017. We will look to one another for comfort as we share our memories of Nancy, and her spirit will live forever in our hearts.

She was preceded in death by her father Kenneth Schneidt.

Visit with Nancy’s family and friends on Friday, June 2nd from 5-8 pm at the Betzler Life Story Funeral Home, 6080 Stadium Drive; Kalamazoo (269) 375-2900 where services will be held Saturday, June 3rd at 10 am. A time of food and fellowship will follow immediately after the service in the Life Story Center.

Please visit Nancy’s personal web page at www.BetzlerFuneralHome.com, where you can archive a favorite memory or photo and sign her online guestbook before coming to the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to South County Community Services.