Nancy Louise (Hess) Lang

NANCY LOUISE (HESS) LANG

North Liberty

Nancy Louise (Hess) Lang, 83, of North Liberty, Iowa, passed peacefully on July 6, 2021, at the Bird House in Iowa City. Nancy was born on Oct. 22, 1937, and grew up in Marion, Iowa, as the "middle child" of five children delivered to Robert and Iva (Comport) Hess.

In her early years, Nancy was a bit of a tomboy. She played ball in the street, went on hikes, had sleep-overs and broke her arm jumping out of a tree. In high school, Nancy was active in music groups, dramatics and girls' sports. Her Camp Fire buddies were friends for life. She grew up singing in the choir at First Christian Church of Marion, where she happened to notice fellow choir member Jim Lang, who also had been noticing her.

Jim and Nancy were joined in marriage on Sept. 14, 1956. They created a strong and loving family, raising five children as well as foster parenting several others. Jim's career guided their moves, leading them from Ames, Iowa to Rapid City, S.D. for a two-year stint in the U.S. Air Force (Ellsworth AFB). The next move brought them to Muscatine, Iowa - then Cleveland, Ohio - and back to Iowa again, this time landing in Iowa City. Nancy made friends wherever she lived by getting involved in her community. She spent many hours volunteering her time (Meals On Wheels, HACAP Headstart, Welcome Wagon), participating in church groups and working in the Dairy Husbandry office at ISU, the Registrar's office at Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio, and with the MedTech Program at University of Iowa. She also was a full-time mother, encouraging her children to be in sports, scouts, play instruments and eat their vegetables. She taught them the importance of family, as well as how to help others, laugh out loud and love unconditionally.

Beyond her family, Nancy's heart and soul belonged to her flower gardens, where she spent countless hours making her various homes more beautiful. She was a Master Gardener for 35 years and always was ready to help friends and family with a seedling, a root, gardening tips or a landscaping plan.

Nancy enjoyed her neighbors and friends, getting together for picnics and cook-outs in the summer and bridge clubs and holidays in winter. Both Jim and Nancy have been active church members in either the Disciples of Christ or the United Presbyterian Churches, wherever they were living. Music always was an important part of Nancy's life. Singing in school led to many happy hours with sing-alongs, church choirs, Muscatine Elks Chanters wives, church musicals, and community theater. Nancy and Jim enjoyed Broadway shows, seeing various productions in Chicago, St. Louis and New York City, plus "Fiddler" and "Mama Mia" in London and "Phantom" in Melbourne. In retirement, Jim and Nancy enjoyed traveling to the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Japan, The Philippines and Australia.

Family will greet friends at The First Christian Church (Disciples), 900 Lincolnshire Place in Coralville at 2 p.m. on Aug. 8, 2021, for a celebration of Nancy's life.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Nancy's memory may be directed to Table to Table, in Iowa City, Iowa - a food rescue organization that collects food and distributes it to agencies that serve those in need - or The Bird House, (Hospice Home of Johnson County) which provides compassionate, dignified end-of-life care.

Nancy is survived by her loving husband, Jim; her children, Cari (Gordon) Marshall, Rob (Bev Lynch), Rick, Cathryn (Allan) Schau and Melissa; three grandchildren, Brandon, Jeremy and Marina; siblings, Diane Allen, Patricia Wullschleger and Tom Hess (Nancy York); as well as many nieces, nephews and lifelong friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Iva (Comport) Hess; sister. Rosalie and husband Norman Severinsen; and brothers-in-law, Morris Allen and Harry Wullschleger.

To share a thought, memory or condolence, please visit the funeral home website www.gayandciha.com.