Reflections

Goodbye to my sweet momma

Anna “Nancy” Brood  ~ June 27, 1950 – February 10, 2017

Anna “Nancy” Brood was born on June 27, 1950 in Philadelphia, PA to Eugene Garrett and Anna Stewart Davis. She was named Anna for her mother and for Saint Anna though everyone always called her Nancy. Nancy lost her father when she was 10 years old and thereafter she and her older sister Betty helped their mother raise 2 younger brothers – Albert and Gary. By the time Nancy turned 18 she was working 3 jobs building a life of independence. She met her husband Louis when he became a customer of the bank where she worked as a teller. “It was love at first sight,” Lou always says. Nancy and Lou married in 1975 and soon after bought a home in Mount Laurel, NJ where they raised their 3 children – Elizabeth, Kathryn, and Garrett. Nancy was always incredibly proud of her children and she stayed home with them as they grew then became active in their school community at Countryside Elementary. She volunteered as a crossing guard for a few years before taking a job within the school as an educational assistant. Nancy was passionate about and put her whole heart into working with children whose learning or developmental needs were best supported with one-on-one assistance. In her free time outside of work and raising her family, she loved crafting and baking but even more she loved gifting her creations to those she loved and admired. She was famous for her chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter tandy cakes, hand-painted Christmas decorations, iris-fold cards, and hand-sewn pillows. Nancy spent the last 7 years of her life living with Alzheimer’s Disease being cared for at home by her children along with a team of amazing caregivers. Nancy always yearned for grand babies and her wish was granted in 2013 when her first grandchild – Louis James – was born. Her heart opened even wider in 2016 when twin granddaughters – Natalie and Nora – came into the world. She loved being a Mommom more than anything. Nancy died at home on February 10, 2017 surrounded by the family she adored. Her passage from life leaves an aching hole in our hearts. Nancy is survived by her husband Louis, daughters Elizabeth Wolf (Casey) and Kathryn Pendleton (Jonathan), son Garrett, grandson Louis Pendleton, granddaughters Natalie and Nora Pendleton, her beloved caregiver of 4.5 years Tracy DeLarge, her sister Elizabeth Haist (Glenn), and nieces Sarah and Emily.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Nancy’s honor to Hilarity for Charity – an organization that provides in-home care support for families of Alzheimer’s patients and that supported Nancy’s own family throughout the last year and a half of her life: http://hilarityforcharity.org/take-action/donate/

Family and friends are invited to attend her memorial visitation on Thursday February 16, 2017 from 6-8 PM followed by a celebration of her life, both at the Mount Laurel Home for Funerals – 212 Ark Road Mount Laurel, NJ 08054.

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11 Comments

  • Reply Gretchen Staebler February 11, 2017 at 10:32 am

    Ah, Elizabeth. I’m thinking of you. You have been on the hero’s journey. May your mother be at peace now, and may you as well. Thank you for sharing the story of her living.

  • Reply Myakka hutchins February 11, 2017 at 10:43 am

    I am thinking of you & your family with kind admiration of your journey with your parents . I hope during the physical loss of your mom , that you are filled with her love & spirit ! My family is on a similar journey with my mom, born the same summer as your mom, & just a few short steps behind your momma in leaving her body . Thank you for your bravery in sharing your experience it has been a kind gift for us to get a glimpse into another families journey !

  • Reply Mary Lehnert February 11, 2017 at 11:08 am

    Thinking of you, your husband and family. You embody all the love she gave to you and it is an honor to be able to experience this through you. My God watch over you during this time.

  • Reply Alison February 11, 2017 at 12:10 pm

    Deep peace of the running wave to you.
    Deep peace of the flowing air to you.
    Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.
    Deep peace of the shining stars to you.
    Deep peace of the infinite peace to you.
    – Gaelic blessing

    For you and loved ones Elizabeth, from one upside-down daughter to another. And for your beautiful mom, Nancy. Thank you for sharing, along the way,
    from Alison (in Canada)

  • Reply Bruno February 11, 2017 at 3:16 pm

    May your mother, and you as well, be in peace knowing that she is now in the household of God and in your eternal happy memories. Thank you for sharing so many details of your (both) journey; you earned my deep respect for loving your parents so much and taking do good care of both your dad and mom.
    Best comforting wishes from a Brazilian reader and supporter.

  • Reply Brian Willinsky February 12, 2017 at 8:50 am

    Elizabeth,
    As a former caregiver myself to my mom who passed 3 years ago from a long and de-abilitating, brain damaging cancer, I lived to some degree of what you lived through. There is no more struggle for you mother and she’s in a paradise beyond all out understanding. You lost her on so many levels, so many times, along the way. It’s hard to even understand “how” to mourn at this point, or at least that was my experience. and it may sound weird but CONGRATULATIONS ON A JOB VERY WELL DONE. There are MANY children who run for the hills because “it’s too hard for them” to take care of their parents. I will never, ever, accept or understand that.

  • Reply Catherine Pace February 13, 2017 at 12:02 pm

    Thank you for sharing this experience with all of us…as an upside down daughter myself, my heart aches for you every time I read a new post or see new pictures of your mom & dad. I’m so very sorry for your loss, I hope that your mother will be able to be at peace…God Bless

  • Reply Joan February 14, 2017 at 3:01 pm

    My heartfelt sympathies on your great loss. I am so very sorry. Her struggle/battle is over. I hope that as time goes by you will have peace of mind and heart.

  • Reply g fv February 15, 2017 at 3:59 pm

    May you be of Nancy, of Louis, with Casey and your siblings
    deeply…
    So much love all ways

  • Reply Rich February 16, 2017 at 9:46 am

    “The strength of a family, like the strength of an army, is in its loyalty to each other.” (Mario Puzo)

    No child more loyal than you Elizabeth.

  • Reply Linda March 22, 2017 at 1:57 pm

    I am so sorry for your loss,I care for my 90 year old father who is in the last stages of Alzheimers, I changed my E-mail address so I just found out about your mother. I pray God gives you strength as you care for your father.

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