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Nancy Louise Shultz of Cody, Wyoming was surrounded by her loving family when she passed away from cancer and Alzheimer’s on Aug. 5, 2024.
Nancy was born Dec. 5, 1955, to Calvin and Louise Turner (née Statler) in Tulsa, Oklahoma. When she was young her family moved to Casper, Wyoming, where Nancy grew up.
Nancy studied at the University of Northern Colorado where she received her degree in special education.
In 1991 Nancy moved with her husband, Steven, and children, Casey and Dean, to Wasilla, Alaska, where Nancy taught in the Mat-Su School District for almost 20 years.
Nancy was a phenomenal educator. She truly cared about her students and employed nontraditional approaches to engage them in their school work, including making them stand on their desks while she sang opera to the whole class when they forgot to do their homework (Nancy was a terrible singer). Former students would often stop her in the grocery store to tell her she was their favorite teacher.
Nancy will be remembered for her joie de vivre (joy of life). She loved to entertain, often hosting 20-30 people for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Her children remember fondly that they were always greeted with a big breakfast of waffles or popovers on weekend mornings. Nancy created a home where all the kids wanted to hang out, which was just how she liked it.
Nancy was an avid outdoors woman who could be found hiking, camping and tending her beautiful garden. She often said she was busier in retirement than when working due to the various golf, skiing, hiking and bridge groups she was a part of as well as creating beautiful, complex quilts.
Nancy is survived by her children, Casey and Dean Shultz, granddaughters Eleanor and Edith Johnson, foster daughter, Victoria Briggs (née Johnson), sister, Carol Fallon, and brother Randall Turner.
A celebration of life will take place at Olive Glenn Golf Course in Cody, Wyoming on Oct. 19, 2024, from 1-3 p.m. All who knew and loved Nancy are invited.
