Nancy Vogt's Obituary

Nancy Vogt

January 4, 1923 - January 10, 2013

Published in the Syracuse Post Standard

Mrs. Nancy Vogt, of Syracuse, NY, died Thursday at Crouse Hospital after a brief illness. She was 90 years old.

A native of Pelham Manor, NY, Mrs. Vogt attended Smith College, Northampton, Mass., and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley. She received her music certification from Syracuse University and taught elementary vocal music in the Canastota and Lafayette school districts before becoming director of volunteer services at Van Duyn Home & Hospital, retiring in 1989.

Mrs. Vogt was a veteran of World War II, serving in the United States Coast Guard Sparo as a chaplain's assistant in the military morale office.

Surviving are a daughter, Beverly Van Ness of New York City; a son, Kevin Van Ness of Liverpool; two grandchildren, Mary Grace Van Ness and Gregory Van Ness; two step-grandchildren, Scott Brown of Syracuse and Tracy McMenamy of Salisbury, Md.; and four great-grandchildren.

She was loved by many and will be greatly missed.

There will be no calling hours. Funeral services will take place at 2 p.m. Wednesday, January 16, at St. Alban's Episcopal Church, 1308 Meadowbrook Drive, Syracuse. Family members will greet friends after the service at a reception in the Fellowship Room of St. Albans. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Alban's Church.

Click the button above to hear On Eagles' Wings, the song sung at the service by Nancy's granddaughter, Mary Grace

An email sent January 12, 2013 by Beverly VanNess to her cousin Nancy:

We are having a service at Mom's church on Wednesday, at 2. I know it would be virtually impossible for you to be there, but wanted you to know the details.

She had picked out her favorite scriptures and hymns, one of her dear friends, Brad, who is a minister in a parish a few hours away, will come to help Mom's minister (who has turned out to be wonderful) officiate. I've know Brad and his now husband, Carl for years. Brad was like a son to mom. Carl has a magnificent tenor voice, and will sing. Mary Grace, Kevin's daughter, who has a magnificent voice, will sing as well. My nephew Greg will be one of the readers, and Kevin as well. I will say a few words of my own.

After the service, there will be a reception at the adjoining parish hall. The church folks are taking complete charge of the finger food and such, we don't have to worry about any of it.

Mom, in a (closed) rental casket (her wish, ever frugal) will be there with us, and will then be cremated. Her ashes will be buried not in a container, but just themselves, in the soil of the church garden, which is a lovely spot, and a plaque will be placed on the back wall of the church.

I want you to know that she was loved by many, she had large, sometimes overlapping groups of friends, church, madrigal singers, bridge players, etc. Among the people I called yesterday was a Sudanese woman named Akow, whose family was taken under the wing of Mom's prior church. Mom became a good friend, and was like a grandmother to Akow's children. That is one of many examples of the ripples of friends she had.

I was fine yesterday, because we were very busy making arrangements with the funeral guy and the minister and gathering important documents from Mom's house to bring to Kevin's to review. I am much more subdued today. It is really hard to believe she isn't here still. I know we will have up and then down days. But she really had a full and active life to the end, and made a mark on many. That is all anyone could hope for.

I will give you a report on the service afterwards. Karen and I will fly back to NYC Thursday night, and I will come back here often over time to take care of all the business that needs attending. There is no rush on dealing with her possessions and house, as her tenants have a lease until the middle of the summer. That's all for now. Bev