Obituary of Nancy Lee Marshall

Marshall, Nancy Lee; Nancy age 57, passed away peacefully at the Aberdeen Hospital in New Glasgow on April 14th, 2023 with family by her side. Nancy came to live with our family as a foster child in 1973 at the age of 7. She had Cerebral Palsy and had not yet started school. Our mom could see no reason why she was not attending school and set out to get her enrolled. Nancy thoroughly enjoyed school and easily made friends. Nancy wore braces on her legs and walked with a walker, she also had a wheelchair which her sisters and friends liked to wheel around in. Nancy became the second youngest in our family. She was always smiling and it was easy to make her giggle. After coming to live with our family she got to experience a lot of other “firsts”. She enjoyed dressing up and going trick or treating. She loved being able to walk up to a house and get her own treat and when she got too tired dad would get the treats for her. She had never been able to swing on a swing as she found it difficult to sit up. She asked Dad if he could make her a swing. Dad, being who he was, did just that with a small barrel and some rope. She loved being able to stand in the barrel and swing herself. Another first for her was swimming whether it be at the beach near our home or at our cottage at Locharber Lake. Our parents would put a “keyhole” life jacket on her and tied a rope to the jacket which allowed her to float on her back and paddle herself around while keeping her safe. She loved swimming and would be often be found shivering and yet not wanting to get out of the water. Nancy did live on her own in Halifax and had two biological daughters who subsequently adopted. Nancy was hit by a car while she was crossing the road in Halifax. Her injuries left her unable to live on her own and she entered a nursing home. When Nancy made the decision to move back to Pictou County, she moved into the Valley View Villa. She enjoyed her stay there and the staff were wonderful to her, but what Nancy missed was not having the freedom to get in her chair and go to town. She moved closer to town and Glen Haven Manor became her final home. Nancy was able to go by herself or would meet her mother at Tim Hortons. Nancy always enjoyed writing poems and stories. She was a published author of two short stories and a book of poems. She volunteered at the Aberdeen Hospital and the Glen Haven Manor. At the Glen Haven, she conducted the church service on some Sundays, she was part of the social committee and would help out as well as participate in anyway she could. Nancy was an advocate for herself and her fellow residents. Nancy had some special friends: Nicole Blackwood , Amanda, Lisa, Lori, and Stacy. They enjoyed “like sister time” as Nancy would call it. Nancy used the CHAD transit on a regular basis and knew all the drivers by name. Nancy will be dearly missed by those that knew her but is safe in the hands of God and can walk freely now. She is survived by her mother Joy MacKenzie, Stellarton; Sisters Jacqueline Spears (Bruce), Foxbrook, Janice MacKenzie-Ross (Donnie), Halifax; Jocelyn Diamond-Wentzell (Brian),Trenton. Nieces & Nephews: John, Shyla, Meghan, Tammy, Carla, Christopher, Bradley, Coby, Janessa & George. Great Nieces & Nephews: Morgan, Jacob, Silvi, Clayton, Jace, Ryan, Johanna, Emerson & Easton. Nancy was predeceased by her Father John MacKenzie, Sisters Judith Bell, Josephine Welsh and Nephew Jeremy Bell and both maternal and paternal grandparents.. Cremation has taken place under the care of the H.C.MacQuarrie Funeral Chapel .Visitation will be Saturday April 29th, 2023 2-4 pm in the H.C.MacQuarrie Chapel ,18 Acadia Ave . Stellarton .. Burial will be at the Abercrombie Cemetery. The family wishes to thank the staff at the Glen Haven Manor for their care and kindness looking after Nancy, the Doctors and Nurses in the Palliative Care Unit at the Aberdeen. In lieu of flowers donations can me made to the Aberdeen Hospital Palliative Care or your local food bank.