Nancy Hale Chess

CHESS, Nancy Hale Kalamazoo, MI
Formerly of Detroit, MI and Gettysburg, PA Nancy H. Chess, age 60, passed away peacefully August 21, 2010. Nancy battled Lymphoma for more than a year at Bronson Hospital and the West Michigan Cancer Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan and at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She was born on October 31, 1949 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and graduated from Biglerville High School in 1967 where she was known as an enthusiastic Canner cheerleader. Following graduation from Bryn Mawr Hospital School of Nursing in 1970, Nancy went to work at Hahnemann Medical Center in Philadelphia. After moving to Michigan in 1975, she married Joseph Chess, worked at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and completed her Bachelor's Degree in Nursing. Joe and Nancy moved to Kalamazoo in 1991, where Nancy held a variety of positions in her role as a nurse and went to graduate school at Western Michigan University for a Masters degree in Public Administration. She became a certified personal trainer...Aside from her love of family, friends and community, she also loved the outdoors, travel, entertaining, decorating, food and wine, tennis, dancing, kayaking and horseback riding. Nancy found fulfillment in community service and enjoyed volunteering for school activities, the Portage Educational Foundation Board, Heritage Community Board, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kalamazoo. She enjoyed the occasional cosmopolitan and margarita with friends. Nancy always had a garden and loved brandishing a chainsaw and clippers around her yard. Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Raymond Hale and Mary Margaret Robinson Hale. She is survived by sisters Ann Fred Hartzel, and Susan Brooks Lockley, and by brother, Bill Diane. She is survived by Joe, her husband and love of her life for 37 years; children, Benjamin and Laura; and many loving nieces and nephews. Nancy's husband and children were her touchstone, a treasured source of joy. A gathering of friends and family will be held from 2:00-5:00 Saturday afternoon September 25, at Langeland Family Funeral Homes Westside Chapel, 3926 S. 9th St. In lieu of flowers the family asks that memorial contributions be made to: The Kalamazoo Community Foundation, 151 S. Rose St., Suite332 Kalamazoo MI 49007; The Portage Educational Foundation, PO Box 2043, Portage, MI 49081; or The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Donor Services, PO Box 4072 Pittsfield, MA 01202 Please visit www.langelands.com to sign Nancy's guest book or leave a condolence to her family. 269-343-1508