Nancy Willey Templain

Nancy Willey Templain “Fancy Nancy “, was born on July 3, 1944 to Frank J. Willey and Serena Ratcliff Willey in Nederland, Texas. She left this world peacefully surrounded by family on October 30, 2020, at Harbor Hospice facility in Beaumont, Texas.

She was born into a family as the 7th of 8 siblings during a mid WWII life setting. Coming from humble beginnings, she achieved many great things in her 76 years. She attended Nederland schools and one of the highlights was in her years of marching band when the band was invited to perform for John F. Kennedy’s inauguration parade. After graduation, she attended Jacksonville Junior College in Jacksonville, Texas. This was one of her most favorite times as she met many lifelong special friends, enjoyed being a cheerleader, singing in the choir, and attending festivities on campus. This was also the very first time she entered the healthcare field as her part time job was at the local hospital answering the phones. She graduated from Jacksonville Junior College in 1964 and returned to the Southeast Texas area. She began her job at Park Place Hospital and met her future husband in 1964. She married the love of her life, John H Templain on June 5, 1965, after 6 weeks of dating and they enjoyed 30 years of marriage until his untimely death in 1996. They had 3 children: Jeffrey Todd Templain, Jason Heath Templain, and Amber Michelle Templain-Kuehn. Their marriage was one of strength, character, beauty, and struggles, but through it all love remained. They enjoyed many years working in healthcare and traveling in off times. Some of their most favorite trips were to Colorado every summer.

At age 18 she began her career in healthcare and at age 40 “Nurse Nancy” began a long earned and stellar career as an R.N. devoting her working career to caring for others and serving in almost every capacity of nursing. She worked diligently and at age 60 received her Bachelor of Nursing degree while recovering from back surgery. At age 70, she received her Master of Nursing while completing chemotherapy and radiation for breast cancer. Often, she would sit at the table in the bright light of the afternoon working on her thesis as the treatment had caused early cataracts. She gracefully walked the stage at Lamar University that August in 2014 achieving a lifelong goal. Only after a second diagnosis of liver cancer, and a fall and head injury did she cease working in nursing, but she was ALWAYS a nurse.
In her free time, she loved spending time with family, traveling, reading, shopping, and in her younger years, sewing, crafting, and in general taking care of others. She was a renowned aunt beginning at age 3 and her legacy of “Aunt Nancy” far precedes her. Of all her travels, some of the most treasured personal traveling trips included a sibling trip to Italy in 1996, an Alaskan cruise with college friends in 2015, and a Canada/ NYC trip in 2019 with her daughter, Michelle. Of course, she was always ready to go to the casino and spin the night away or scratch off a lotto ticket in hopes of ‘hitting it big’.
She belonged to many professional organizations in her life and of those her membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) was a source of pride. She researched her family lineage back to the 1600s in the times when writing letters and card catalogs still existed. She also belonged to the Texas Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau, Clinical Legal Nurse Consultants, and served in many capacities in her career as an R.N. She met many friends along the way in her professional career and the blessings were evident.

As a mother, grandmother, and aunt she was always available for every event, every bake sale, every commitment, and worked diligently putting her family first even when other things took precedence. She never said, No, but how can I help”! Her home was always open to anyone who needed a meal, a place to chat, a safe refuge from a storm, or a comfortable place to sleep. Often up to 10 or more people could be counted as sleeping over and laughing the night away and always eating! She was always your biggest cheerleader, the loudest voice, and the glue to hold us all together.
Her FAITH was always present in her life and her firm belief in Jesus and the saving grace offered were a mainstay in her life. She belonged to many churches in her life, but professed the Baptist faith and knew where her eternal life would be and was ready to be welcomed.

She was preceded in death by her spouse, John H Templain; her parents, Frank J. Willey, and Serena A. Ratcliff Willey; her siblings Edna Totten (Sonny Totten), Annette Lormand (Wayne Lormand), Bea Williams (Norvil Williams), and Betty Mathews, and infant brother Frank Willey, Jr.

She is survived by her children: Jeffrey Todd Templain, Jason Heath Templain ( spouse Renee Templain) and Michelle Templain-Kuehn ( Spouse Adam Kuehn), along with her grandchildren: Justin Templain (Spouse Deborah Templain), Jacob Templain ( Spouse, Laura Templain), Bailey Templain ( Fiancé, Miguel Saucedo, Jr. ), Heather Templain, Bradley Williamson, Alyssa Templain Thompson, Morgan Belyeu, Aiden Kuehn, Avery Kuehn; And Great Grandchild Jordyn Taylore Templain. Her fur baby Maggie Lu is also included. Her siblings, Joe C. Willey (Irene Willey) and Phil Willey also survive her currently. Special mention to her niece/ sister Sandra Taylor, and her niece /daughter Tracy Mathews Allen. Additionally, many special cousins, nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, and great great nieces and nephews are left behind to mourn. A large family brings many mourners and a legacy of memories and roots. She loved her large family history and delighted in recalling memories and sharing with others. Her grand fur babies include: Nugget, Remi, Lucy, Bevo, Riley, Biscuit, Groot, Katy, and Rachet

In lieu of flowers or gifts, please donate in her honor to any charity of choice or at her request: MD Anderson, Julie Rogers Gift of Life, Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, Jacksonville College or the Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary.

We would like to send a heartfelt thanks to all the professional healthcare providers during this 6-year journey with 3 cancers: MD Anderson: Dr. Chun-Seagraves, Dr. Javle, Dr. Moulder, Dr. Westin, BIMGA: Dr. Thomas and Alicia Horn, FNP; Harbor Hospice Staff, and Dr. Lavalais. She also enjoyed her time working with Gift of Life and her special relationship that evolved with Regina Rogers.
We also thank the many, many people who have come into her life and ours during all this time and we would be lost without your support, prayers, and love. As “Fancy Nancy” would say, Love BIG, Live Life, and always find a reason to Sparkle!

A gathering of Nancy's friends and family will be held at Melancon's Funeral Home in Nederland, Texas on Saturday, November 7, 2020 from 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. with the funeral service to begin at 10:00 a.m.

A private family graveside service will be held at Memory Gardens of Jefferson County in Nederland.