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In memory of

Nancy Blackmore Messenger

Petoskey, MI, USA

June 9, 1953 - December 11, 2017

Jun 9, 1953 - Dec 11, 2017

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Nancy Blackmore Messenger, 64, of Petoskey, Michigan, loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, cousin, aunt, accomplished nurse and loyal friend, completed her journey on this Earth on December 11th, 2017.

Born in Holland, Michigan on June 9th, 1953, Nancy was the daughter of Lawrence and Shirley Blackmore. In 1955, the family moved to Traverse City and lived on the Old Mission Peninsula where Nancy spent many days horseback riding, enjoying the beach with friends, boating, and swimming in East Grand Traverse Bay. She attended Old Mission Peninsula Elementary School and graduated from Traverse City Central High School in 1971. In 1976, Nancy married Paul Hendricks and during their years together became a mother to two wonderful sons. Paul's job took them to live in Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, New York, and briefly in Cairo, Egypt. While in Louisiana, Nancy earned an associate degree in nursing from Nicholls State University and began a life-long career helping others, a career to which she was well-suited and that she thoroughly enjoyed. In 1988, Nancy and Paul parted ways, and she and her boys moved back to Michigan to settle in Petoskey where she gracefully balanced a busy family life and her job as a nurse at Northern Michigan Hospital where she worked in both the intensive care and critical care units. Later, she was employed by Caremark and then Burns Clinic where she joined the hospital administration team as the department manager for Internal Medicine. She earned her bachelor's degree at Spring Arbor University in Petoskey and was subsequently employed by Franklin Health and later by Blue Cross-Blue Shield as a care coordinator for terminally ill patients. Nancy was a strong advocate for the wishes of her patients and offered them her knowledge, skills and compassion until her retirement in October of 2016 due to health reasons of her own and the desire to spend precious time with her husband, family and friends.

In 2000, Nancy married her soulmate, Jerry Messenger, and became a step-mom to two lovely daughters. Her family grew as the sons and daughters added life partners and grandchildren to her life and her heart was full.

With a cheerful smile to greet each day, Nancy loved the simple things in life – time spent with the people she loved, laughter, a good glass of wine, Detroit Red Wings hockey games, the beauty of nature, planting and tending her flowerbeds, boating with Jerry in the summertime and vacationing to warmer climates in the winter. Keeping her love of family and friends as her center point and enjoying every moment spent with them, Nancy was a gracious hostess for many holiday gatherings, yearly picnic-style family reunions in her backyard and dinner parties with friends. On their boat, she and Jerry spent many sunny days on the waters of Northern Michigan and vacationed several times in Mexico, enjoyed a trip to Peru, and visited family and friends in Kentucky, Missouri, Florida, North Carolina and New York. Nancy also enjoyed solo trips to Oregon to visit her son Eric and his family. With her positive attitude, determination, courage, and adventurous spirit, Nancy was traveling to Arizona, hoping to see the Painted Desert and spend the winter months enjoying sunny skies, when she passed away quietly in Emporia, Kansas, with Jerry by her side.

Nancy was preceded in death by her maternal and paternal grandparents, Philip and Selma Burghardt and Lawrence and Sylvia Blackmore; her father, Lawrence Blackmore; her brother Bob (Judy) Blackmore; her first husband, Paul Hendricks; her mother-in-law, Ann Haynes, and many other relatives and friends.

Greatly loved and missed by all, Nancy is survived by her husband, Jerry Messenger; her sons and daughters and their life partners and children, Corey Hendricks (Jen Schaap), Eric Hendricks (Robyn Kutka) and Dru and Dax Kutka, Lisa Manville Emery (Zack) and Macyn and Kayden, Michelle (Shane) Wierenga and Clinton, Clara, Sophia and Corin; her mother, Shirley Blackmore; her sisters and brothers, Linda (Mike) Nau, Bonnie (Mike) Cudney, Donna Bohn, Ben (Cathy) Blackmore, Bill (Darlene) Blackmore, and many other in-laws, aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the home that Nancy and Jerry shared at 826 Surrey Lane, Petoskey, Michigan, on Saturday, June 16th, 2018, beginning at 12:00 noon.

In honor of Nancy, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.

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