Obituary: Nancy Moore

Nancy was also known to swear like a sailor. Often, in front of children.

It happened so often, especially in front of her own grandchildren, that her daughter Stephanie had to teach her kids that there was “Grandma Nancy talk” and “regular people talk.” That was an important life lesson passed along by her other daughter, Liz, and son, Nathan, to their kids. Regular people need to watch what they say in certain situations, Grandma Nancy gets to swear whenever and wherever.

Nancy was a second mom to several of her kids’ friends. She had a way of putting people at ease, making you feel accepted and appreciated, free of judgment. Friends that her kids invited over were welcomed and treated like family, and several of those visitors who remained close to the family had their lives impacted deeply by Nancy. One patterned the kind of mom she became after seeing the relationship Nancy had with her own kids. After Nancy’s passing, another close friend said she was a keystone of his childhood and words fail to capture what she meant to him. Another friend was welcomed into the family fold to such a degree that his actual parents had to start paying a form of child support to cover the food he ate.

During her final days Nancy was cared for by Geoff, her three children Stephanie, Elizabeth, and Nathan, and her three dedicated caregivers Vashaun, Jenna, and Jennifer who, true to form, Geoff and Nancy treated like family.

Much of her life was dominated by multiple sclerosis. Diagnosed with MS in 1990, over the years the disease gradually took her mobility and independence, but she never let it get the best of her. Towards the end, one of her caregivers mentioned how Nancy was the one patient of hers that needed help the most but asked for it the least, and rarely complained. She would occasionally vent her frustrations and curse the disease with an R-rated outburst. She did, however, use the cover that MS gave her to smuggle alcohol into concerts by stashing booze in her motorized scooter because “no one searches the handicapped.”

Nancy’s children see her life as an example of true strength and courage, not just because of her resilience against MS, but against all the struggles she faced. Her life had considerable stress at times — divorce, struggling as a single mom supporting three young kids, financial ups and downs, and that cursed disease — but she didn’t let any of that stop her, for one second, from being a great mom. Her kids always had their mom when they needed her. That never, ever changed.

Nancy genuinely liked the people in her family as much as she loved them, and the feeling was mutual. It was always a good time when the family gathered for special occasions, that’s what happens when people enjoy each other’s company. Now there will be one less family member to laugh with, to tell dirty jokes with, and to tell cutting jokes about. And when you told a joke about Nancy, you were sure to get the middle finger in your face, in the most loving way possible.

Geoff was her best friend and her husband, and she loved him very much. They were each other’s second chance at happiness and they took full advantage. After all the kids moved out, Nancy and Geoff twice spent a full year traveling across the United States in an RV. Those trips are times in their lives they truly cherished, because all that time was completely their own. They went hand-in-hand on an adventure. Wherever they ended up, as long as they were together, they were home.

Nancy was born Nancy Ann Arnold on Feb. 21, 1947, at the Brooklyn Naval Hospital in New York City. Born into a Navy family, she moved around the country quite a bit in her early years with her father Howard Arnold, her mother Lyn (Rosalyn Stone) Arnold, and her little brother Dick (Richard Arnold).

They settled in Hood River when Nancy was 7 years old, where she lived most of her life. She attended Odell Grade School, Barrett Grade School, and Mid Valley Elementary. She graduated from Wy’east High School in 1964 and spent many years afterward as a stay-at-home mom. She went on to work as a hostess at Stonehedge Restaurant, a teacher’s aide at Hood River Junior High, and ended her working career as a Consumer Affairs Specialist for United Telephone Company in Hood River. She spent the final years of her life in The Dalles, Ore.

Nancy is survived by her dedicated husband Geoff Moore; her children Stephanie Mason (Jeff Mason), Elizabeth Durant (Anthony Durant), and Nathan Baker (Lara Baker); her grandchildren Mackenzie, Travis, Hannah, Dugan, and Ellie; her great-grandchildren Paisley and Avery; her brother Dick Arnold (Charlotte Arnold); and nephews Jacob and Nicholas, and niece Meredith.

A celebration of life will take place on Saturday, Oct. 8 from 3-6 p.m. at Grace Su’s China Gorge Restaurant, 2680 Old Columbia River Drive, Hood River. In honor of Nancy, guests are encouraged to wear tie-dye and Birkenstocks.

At a later time, Nancy’s cremated ashes will be spread by her family at places most meaningful to her.

Memorial contributions may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.