Obituary of Nancy M. Nevius

Nancy Mary Nevius, cherished wife of Thomas Nevius and mother of two children, Dug and Sara Nevius passed away on February 2, 2022, at the age of 73, following a long battle with Alzheimer’s. The daughter of the late William and Betty Cole and the second of nine children, she was born in Orange, NJ, and raised in West Orange. Nancy graduated from Our Lady of The Valley High School in 1966 and Montclair State College in 1970, becoming the first of her family to obtain a college degree. A devoted public servant, Nancy worked for the New Jersey State Department of Labor for 44 years. At the time of her retirement at age 66 she was the manager of the unemployment office in Jersey City.

Nancy married Thomas Nevius of Florham Park in 1974 and moved to Maplewood in 1975 where they resided for 47 years. She is survived by her husband, Tom, beloved children Sara (Oakland, CA), Dug (West Orange) and his fiancé Lena Hadler, siblings Janet Cole (Manchester, NJ), William (Hillary) Cole (Coral Springs, FL), Elaine (William) McGuire (Lanoka Harbor, NJ), Dennis (Dawn) Cole (Monroe, GA), sisters-in-law Nancy Sigler and Barbara Nevius (Florham Park), and over two dozen loving nieces and nephews.

Nancy was a longtime parishioner, lector and eucharistic minister at Saint Joseph’s Church in Maplewood. In her free time, Nancy was a voracious reader, and regularly volunteered for charities including the church food pantry and Habitat for Humanity (Newark, New Orleans). Nancy loved to travel and had a curious sense of adventure and learning. She enjoyed her time spent dog sledding, parasailing, and mountain hiking. Nancy enjoyed traveling. She visited several U.S. states, including Hawaii, traveled to western Canada, and Turk Caicos in the northwest Indies.  She went as far as France, Germany, Greece, Ireland and most notably to Azerbaijan, to visit her daughter while in the Peace Corps. Repeated destinations were Mohonk Mountain in New Paltz, NY and Kezar Lake in Sutton, NH, where she vacationed for 29 years. Nancy shared her love for community and the wilderness as her daughter’s girl scout leader and softball coach.  An avid fan of basketball, originally of the New York Knicks, she later became particularly fond of Stephan Curry and the Golden State Warriors.

Nancy will be remembered as a compassionate, kind woman of endless charitable character. She was a hard-working leader at work, throughout the community, and generously extended and opened her home to family and friends. A woman of faith, service, and connection, she went above and beyond for those around her, giving of herself to neighbors, colleagues, and friends in their time of need.

Nancy’s passion for her family was most prominent in her devoted love for her husband and two children. Nancy provided boundless support and encouragement to her children and was proud of all their journeys. The fun-loving relationship with and adoration for her husband Tom lasted all 47 years of their marriage. In the final years of her life, she found comfort and happiness in their relationship and the deep connection and love they shared. The memory of Nancy’s lighthearted nature, love of learning and children, and warm-hearted laughter will be forever cherished by her loved ones. She will always be loved, remembered, and deeply missed by all those who knew her.