Nancy Muirheid - Online Memorial Website

Nancy K. Muirheid, 70, of Decatur, IL passed away at 9:27 a.m. on Monday (Feb. 7, 2011) at OSF St. James - John W. Albrecht Medical Center, Pontiac, IL.

A service to celebrate Nancy's life will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday (Feb. 12, 2011) at Zion Chapel United Methodist Church. Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Friday (Feb. 11, 2011) at Dawson & Wikoff West Wood Street Funeral Home. Burial will be in Brown Cemetery.  Memorial contributions may be directed to Zion Chapel United Methodist Church. Messages of condolence may be sent to the family at www.dawson-wikoff.com.

Nancy was born on March 13, 1940 in Decatur, IL, the daughter of Glenn and Delphine (Dummermuth) Muirheid. She graduated from Niantic-Harristown High School in 1958. She then attended the University of Illinois, receiving a Bachelors of Agriculture, Major in Home Economics in 1962. After graduation from the University of Illinois she worked at the Decatur Herald and Review as the Society Page writer and proof reader, she worked as a Home Extension Advisor in Danville and then moved to Fresno, CA where she worked at the Fresno Bee as the Home Economics advisor and had a radio show and column she wrote called “Kathryn’s Kitchen.”  After a few years she returned to Decatur and worked at the Decatur Area Chamber of Commerce and the Decatur Herald and Review.  For many years Nancy did clothing alterations from her home and was hired as one of the original employees at the Hickory Point Mall Von Maur store as Head of the Alterations Department.  She retired from Von Maur in 2005 after 16 years and continued her love for sewing at home with her business known as Nancy’s Stitching Post.

Nancy was a very active member in multiple organizations and her loss will leave a huge void, especially at Zion Chapel United Methodist Church where she was a member her entire life and had held almost every office in every organization at some point, sang in the choir, taught Sunday school and worked with the group “Prayers and Squares”.   Some of the other organizations she loved leading or helping as a volunteer included: 4-H, Altrusa International, American Business Women’s Association, Macon County Home and Community Education (Macon County HCE) and the Home Economist Group in Macon County, Macon County Lady Land Owners, the Linus Project, United Methodist Women, and the University of Illinois Alumni Association.  She received a Loyalty Award from the UI Alumni Association in 1993 and the Outstanding Service Award for Community Service with the United Way of Decatur/Macon County. Nancy proudly served as a Republican Election Judge.

Nancy enjoyed knitting, reading, studying family history, playing games and spending time with family. She was a very caring person and an unselfish caretaker of her mother, Delphine for many years.

Nancy was always willing to lend a helping hand and was known for seeing a need and doing whatever she could to fulfill it.  She was dearly loved by many and a very generous friend.  Nancy loved to help others, especially her immediate and extended family which included many close friends, including the Hopkins family with whom she spent numerous holidays with and her Saturday morning breakfast group.

Surviving is her brother: Max (Linda) Muirheid of Tulsa, OK; nieces: Lisa (Jim) Martin of Pontiac, IL, Melissa (Drew) Kelly of Tulsa, OK and Molly (Jonathan) Pierce of Tulsa, OK; great nephew: Jamie Martin of Pontiac, IL; great nieces: Cori Martin of Pontiac, IL and Isabella Pierce of Tulsa, OK.

She was preceded in death by her parents.