Nanci Anne Agnew Obituary (1944

Nanci Anne Agnew, 70, Menoken, North Dakota, passed from this life on Friday, June 26, 2015, at Sanford Health, Bismarck after a long battle with cancer. Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 PM Wednesday, July 1, 2015, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Bismarck with Rev. Steve Sathre officiating. Visitation is scheduled for 5-7 PM Tuesday, June 30, 2015, at DaWise-Perry Funeral Services, Mandan, and continues one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be in the Menoken Cemetery. Nanci was born August 14, 1944, in Bismarck, to Albert and Mildred (Holien) Russell. She received her education in Bismarck and graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1966 with a degree in Business Administration. She proceeded north to Bottineau for a position as a case worker with the Bottineau County Office of Social Services. Then it was back to Bismarck for a position as receptionist with Knife River Coal and thoughts of the country. As a "city slicker," she had no idea what good old country living had in store for her when she spotted Tom across the hall in high school. She told her friend, "I'm going to marry that man someday," and on a chilly December day in 1968, the preacher said the words and she became a "ranch wife". Tom must have known that running farm machinery, driving pickups and grain trucks was not in the books for this gal-something about not being able to reach the pedals, maybe. After husband and family, Nanci ended up working and learning about the beef industry, as a member of the Cowbelles. According to Auntie Bobbie, that was the thing to do! Thanks, Bob! In the Fall of 1971, Nanci waddled her pregnant body into her first meeting and the rest is history. After holding a number of positions on the District and State levels, she found her niche in Bylaws and became chairman of Communications of Internal Affairs in 1987. In 1997, she was privileged to be elected State President and in 2004, and became the National Region 7 Director. She had lots of fun in her 43 years as a member of Cowbelles, now CattleWomen and learned a great deal about the promotional and educational end of ranching. She also learned about other aspects of ranch life. When her daughter Tammi moved out in 1994 she didn't take the computer and Nanci asked her to at least show her how to turn it on. Nanci always liked to design and create things and the computer later became the ideal tool. This sure beat "cut and paste" (now they call it scrapbooking) and that's how she created her first big CattleWomen project - "Barnie Burger Presents - A Beef Color Book!" That little guy was locally published and sold nationwide to educate kids about beef. A few years ago, the ND Beef Commission incorporated some aspects of that book into the color book they published. Another fun project for Nanci was her giant foam hamburger that was featured at the Mandan Ag days, many events focusing on children. She even had a ride on the Mandan Rodeo float one year. After "Barnie" she expanded into making greeting cards, brochures, business cards, wedding invitations, and many more projects too numerous to mention, both for CattleWomen and personal projects, and started a small business called "Closet Creations". She dabbled in flower arranging and wreath making. All fake flowers, of course, because you have to water the real ones! Just know that Nanci had a good life, thanks to her family and friends and she will miss you all very much. And for sure "May you be in heaven an hour before the devil knows your dead." She is survived by one daughter, Tammi (Joe) Holland, Moorhead, Minnesota; one son, Sean (Lori) Agnew, Menoken; four grandchildren, Kaden Joseph Holland, James Thomas, Josi Lynn, and Brandi Lee Agnew and special friends, Dick and Theresa Tokach, John and Jan Lang, and Kathy McCormick. Nanci was preceded in death by her parents; and her husband Tom in 2003.