Nancy Lynne Vanerka

Born August 7th, 1967, in LaGrange, Illinois, a daughter of Douglas Fred and Dorothy Jean (Splinter) Vanerka, Nancy was raised in Hinsdale and Oak Brook, Illinois. She graduated from Hinsdale Central High School and continued her education at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington where she received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Art and Psychology and later her MA from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. Nancy had been a Marquette area resident for the past ten years. Throughout the years, her work history included serving as a corporate trainer of administrative assistants with Hewitt Associates in Deerfield, Illinois, from 1985 – 1990, serving in temporary administrative assistant positions from 1990-2011, serving an art therapy internship at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, Washington in 1982, where, in 1976, she received a bone marrow transplant. Her sister, Laura, was her donor. Locally, Nancy worked with the Lake Superior Art Association as publicity chair. Nancy’s Christian faith was also a motivating factor in her life and she not only professed her faith but put it into action. She performed world-wide mission work, serving in Europe, China, India, Honduras, and Mexico. Her six trips to Juarez, Mexico involved art work and construction with the local orphanage.

Nancy’s hobbies and special interests included art, especially prophetic painting of people, singing and playing praise songs, supporting and going on mission trips, and mentoring younger women. She was certified to do spiritual healing of others. She enjoyed playing games with her niece, nephew, and friends, putting on fireworks shows for the family, and locally enjoyed Lake Superior and its beaches, cross country skiing, kayaking, blueberry picking, and hiking to waterfalls. Nancy was a member of the P.E.O., SAI, and Lake Superior Art Association.

Nancy is survived by her parents, Douglas and Dorothy Vanerka; her sister, Laura Love; niece, Abigail Love; nephew, David Love; her cousins, Donald West, Kathryn Brandt, John Carpenter, Paul Carpenter, Shayna Lopate, and David Lopate.

Services will be held at the Marquette Bible Church on October 22nd, 2022. Visitation will begin at 1:00 pm, until the time of service at 3:00 pm. A reception will take place during the visitation in the church reception hall. Interment will be made in the Park Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to: Tapestries of Life (tapestriesoflifeministries.org), Iris Global Ministries (irisglobal.org), Frontier Evangelism (tommyodell.org), or Shores of Grace (shoresofgrace.com).

In her own words, Nancy summed up her mission and goal for her life: “As someone who’s goal was to receive God’s love for myself so I could then give it to all other people in mind, thought, prayer, or deed. I wanted people to experience God’s love when they met me. I tried to hold onto Jesus Christ of Nazareth alone as God, Savior, Lover, and Friend, despite huge life challenges and traumas.”

Fassbender Swanson Hansen Funeral and Cremation Services is serving the family, where condolences can be expressed online at fassbenderswansonhansen.com.