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Jackson County, W.Va. —
“Look to this day!
For it is life, the very life of life.
In its brief course
Lie all the verities and realities
Of your existence:
The bliss of growth.
The glory of action.
The splendor of beauty,
For yesterday is but a dream,
And tomorrow is only a vision;
But today, well lived,
Makes of every yesterday
A dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day.”
-from the Sanskrit
Nancy Sue Parsons (Wilson) born February 4, 1941 in Ripley, entered into her next journey with her family surrounding her by passing on January 11, 2011 in Morgantown. Nancy married and raised a family of 3 children in Ravenswood, West Virginia. And within the last 6 years- Nancy had been living in Deep Creek Lake, MD living out her dream of being by the water.
Nancy began her life living on Charleston Drive in Ripley West Virginia. This curious and adventuresome young lass was the youngest daughter of King and Madaline Parsons. Molly Casto was her sister and her brother Robert Parsons survives her. Being the youngest with a generous age gap between siblings, and with both parents working, Nancy was able to develop her frolicsome and youthful spirit while leading the neighborhood kids on many comical adventures. From roller-skating in the house to Bob teaching her to swim in a most unorthodox way, Nancy was an unconventional child who loved every minute of her small town upbringing. She firmly believed that the trinity of home, church, and community raised her to be the woman she ultimately became. She spoke often of her grandmothers and what a great influence they had on her formative early years.
Exuberant energy is what defines the next stage in Nancy’s life as a teenager and college student. As a majorette, singer, school government representative, and an “actively involved” student, Nancy made her mark in the halls of Ripley High School. When she told her children stories of these times, they sounded magical. She was always able to recite a Ripley cheer or anthem in great theatrical detail. Nancy later attended Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Again, Nancy was not a by-stander in life. She became actively involved in her sorority, student government, and also began playing a pretty mean ukulele. Nancy earned a degree in education and more importantly, began learning of the world. The social consciousness of the nation was changing and she became very in tune to this changing tide. Her love of folk music and the world’s great philosophers became part of her repertoire.
Nancy soon married and had three children- Debby, Scott, and Stacy. These times were described as the happiest she has ever known. Toting her children to piano lessons, sport lessons, and exposing them to all that life has to offer through books, vacations, and museums was her child rearing philosophy. But Nancy was not “just a mother”. The dedication to family went beyond the expected maternal duties. She showed her children how to parent by having a life of her own. Nancy was involved with the Jackson County Library, the American Association of University Women, and was instrumental in bringing cultural events to the town of Ravenswood. She continued to educate herself because she felt the human race should learn something new every day. She continued to get a couple Master’s Degrees + 60. As the Gifted and Talented teacher of Jackson County, Nancy revolutionized the way the education system nurtures those who thought differently. Her professional journey continued by being named the first female Assistant Principal of Ripley High School. As she reached the twilight of her career, she continued to nurture young minds by being involved with the Governor’s School for many years. Her professional time as an educator can best be described as proactive, progressive, and fair.
With all her children out of college and grandchildren beginning to sprout, Nancy started her retirement in Ravenswood, West Virginia. She continued to be involved with the First United Methodist Church and spent a lot of her time watching her grandchildren play sports. She also took time taking them to concerts like the Eagles Reunion Tour and Jimmy Buffet. Can you imagine a grandma like that? There was nothing stopping this woman from her adventures and living ‘today’.
Eventually, she pursued her life long dream of living on the water by packing up her memories and her many loving friendships, and moved to Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Cook outs and boating with family filled her life. More grandchildren and a special dog named Ruby brought smiles upon her face. Nancy once again, became actively involved in her community by volunteering with the state parks, wine festivals, and archeological digs. This time of her life was also spent traveling and swimming with dolphins. She was active with her yoga class and book club. Nancy doted on her grandchildren, stayed current with world politics, and was a recent snowbird regular to South Carolina. Her next travel plans were to Baja to see the whales.
This obituary is only a small composite of Nancy’s life. It is this writer’s intent to show the reader not a list of life’s accomplishments but to portray a ‘way of life’ that was accomplished. Once it was asked of Nancy- “out of all your sayings and quotes and poems- which is your favorite?” Her answer sums up who she was and what she believed:
‘There is only one person we must answer to…and that is the one we see in the mirror, so – to thine own self be true’. The colorful life of Nancy Parsons has touched, molded, and left a trace on all of us. If you knew Nancy, then you knew life and a life well lived. She wanted us to live in the ‘today’ and so we shall, with smiles of her in our heart.
We love you mom. LIG! Life is Good.
Surviving is her brother, Robert Parsons of FL; daughter Debby Jaeger and grandchildren Emily Dean (great grandchild Isaiah) and Andrew (Dewey) Young; son Scott Wilson and grandchildren Madaline and Elias; daughter Stacy and grandchild Nina and grandoggy Ruby; additional daughters and sons in Nancy’s life: Meighan, Tom, Hank, Rick
Memorial Services: Calvary United Methodist, Ripley, West Virginia; January 21, Friday, 4-6 pm Fellowship Hall; January 22, Saturday 1-2 pm memorial service, 2-4 pm fellowship reception.
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West Virginia Pioneers
1941 - 2011 (69 years)
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