Nancy Lee Humes

Our beloved and incredible wife, mother, grandmother, sister, daughter and retired elementary kindergarten teacher, Nancy Lee Humes, passed away on February 1, 2022, at the age of 86. She fought with courage and optimism to recover from chronic kidney disease and heart failure. Her loved ones will continue to honor her legacy of family and love by living our lives to our fullest and always holding her deep within our hearts and memories.

Nancy grew up in Fowler, California, and moved to the Sacramento area. She graduated from Grant High School and then went on to complete her Bachelor’s in Arts degrees with a double major in mathematics and early childhood education from San Francisco State University. There, she was recognized as both a woman’s golf and archery champion. Although dissuaded by her male professors to pursue a math degree, “Women don’t belong in math classes,” Nancy became even stronger and more determined to prove them wrong! Nancy not only excelled, but she earned her degrees in three years with the highest of accolades.

Teaching was Nancy’s passion. She touched the lives of thousands of children over the years, and she was recognized wherever she went by students and parents with, “Hi Mrs. Humes.” You knew how much this meant to her, because she had a sparkle in her eyes and a sweet smile on her face as she recalled these many encounters. “Guess who I ran into today?” We could feel her excitement and how she loved running into her former students and parents.

Nancy retired from Sierra Enterprise Elementary School and took great pride in her school and students. She wore many hats at Sierra Enterprise Elementary; teacher in charge, snake wrangler, emergency response coordinator, state testing coordinator, and she even sat in on the Teacher’s Commission Board.” After retiring, Nancy began helping her sister, Ruth Ann, in her first grade classroom and even volunteered in her daughter, Sally’s, third grade classroom at Edna Batey Elementary School. “Once a teacher, always a teacher!”

Nancy loved and embraced life! She loved the simplest pleasures in life from going out to lunch and dinner with her friends, enjoying a glass of her favorite Chardonnay, working on her crossword puzzles, nibbling on her chocolates, working in her rose garden and traveling with her husband, Merv, and friends. They traveled to Russia, the Caribbean Islands, Sweden, France, and went on countless cruises as well as traveled across the United States to visit all of the major national parks. Merv’s passion for boating became Nancy’s passion, and they loved to vacation on their boat in Canada. Their boating friends became their extended family. Together, they were both active in the Sacramento Model A Club and Yacht Club.

Nancy lived her faith daily in the way she treated others. She made everyone feel loved and special. She instantaneously became “mom” to everyone with her loving essence and welcoming personality. Merv and Nancy shared 63 wonderful years of marriage together. They were best friends and inseparable. In addition to the greatest love of her life, Merv, Nancy loved her family. She leaves behind her daughter, Sally Humes-Oster, a son-in-law, Michael, four grandchildren, (Kirstyn Belden, Captain Caleb Belden, Ashlyn Oster, and Mikaela Oster) and one great grandson, Braden Leroy Belden. She also leaves behind her sister, Ruth Ann Eichele, brother in laws, Lee Eichele and Frank White and sister-in-law, Donna White. Nancy also leaves behind numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews.

A celebration of her life will be held on March 5, 2022, at 1:00 P.M. at the Elk Grove Pavilion (9950 Elk Grove Florin Rd.) In lieu of flowers, an educational scholarship will be established in Nancy’s name.