Nancy Markus

“The glue that holds the family together.” That was Nancy Markus. After her parents passed away, Nancy carried on many of their traditions and arranged holiday get-togethers to bring her loved ones together, nothing in this world meant more to Nancy. She treasured her relationships with family and friends alike. Her loving presence will be greatly missed.

In 1964 the Markus family was living a busy life in their home on Silver Hills Avenue off of Nazereth Road in Comstock Michigan. Nancy’s father (Bob) was beginning a new career as a life insurance salesman to provide for his growing family. Nancy’s mother (Janet) was managing a household of 4 children ages 5 to 1. The arrival of Nancy on June 4 was the highlight of their year. The fifth child in the Markus family, Nancy arrived exactly one year after her sister Barb. Being so close in age, they shared not only a bedroom, but also a lasting bond.

Growing up, Nancy was never at a loss for playmates. Though she was especially close to her sister, Barb. Her brothers Bob, Joe, Mike, and Greg were also around to keep things interesting. Nancy developed a great sense of humor and liked jokes as long as they weren’t “short jokes”. Because she was so short in stature, her father lovingly referred to her as “Little Bit”, a nickname she accepted from him, but would not tolerate from her siblings! Growing up in a large family, and possibly because of her short stature, Nancy developed a stubborn streak and learned how to stand up for herself at a young age!

Her father’s transition from skilled sheet metal tradesman to life insurance salesman resulted in the family moving around a bit while Nancy was young. They moved from Kalamazoo, to Pittsburgh, then to Los Angeles before returning to the Kalamazoo area. When Nancy was nine years old, the family finally settled in Paw Paw where she attended local schools. Nancy played the flute in the high school band and also enjoyed playing the organ. She graduated from Paw Paw High School in 1982.

With her sights set on nursing, Nancy attended Southwestern Michigan College. Eventually she decided that nursing was not for her, so she changed her major and opted to pursue a career in education at Western Michigan University. Following graduation, Nancy went on to teach second grade in the state of Texas. Although she enjoyed teaching and her students, the pull to return home was too great and Nancy made the decision to return to Paw Paw. Not only was she close to her family again, but the move also allowed her to care for her aging parents.

Nancy found a position at Upjohn (later known as Pharmacia). After working for some time, Nancy decided that she wanted to further her education and she returned to WMU. In 2007, she accepted a job at Perrigo in Allegan where she worked in Regulatory Affairs. She was a member of the Regulatory Affairs Professional Society and her career provided her with great fulfillment. She also enjoyed the camaraderie of her co-workers and loved to make and share treats with them on a regular basis!

Nancy attended Calvary Bible Church, but she was a homebody by nature. An “old soul,” she didn’t place much stock in new innovations or gadgets. She preferred watching movies and TV shows from the 1960s and 1970s. She loved to talk on the phone, but she preferred an old-fashioned landline to chatting on a cell phone. Nancy’s family liked to tease her that she had an uncanny ability to call whenever they were in the middle of eating dinner. They came to accept that they’d be eating a cold dinner because Nancy’s phone calls were never short! Family was important to her and she wanted to hear every detail! It was a right of passage when her nieces and nephews grew taller than her. It was like making a notch on the doorframe. They took it as a sign of growing up!

Nothing made Nancy happier than family gatherings. She was always there to share life’s big moments. If you asked her to be there, nothing would stop her. As her extended family grew and moved away, Nancy was the one who encouraged her siblings and cousins to stay in touch and get together whenever possible opening her heart and home to everyone. Family was very important to her and she valued the relationships she had with each one of them. When Barb had her twins, Nancy was there to help in any way she could. She was an amazing aunt to her nieces and nephews, spoiling them whenever the opportunity arose!

Nancy showed us all how to be strong, overcome obstacles, and persevere in the face of adversity. She will long be remembered for her loving and caring ways, her generosity, and her willingness to help others. Her sense of humor, big heart, sweet soul, and her frequent phone calls will be dearly missed.

Nancy Markus, age 56 of Kalamazoo died on Saturday, February 20, 2021 at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo. Members of her family include her brothers and sister: Bob (Jillonne) Markus of Maumee Ohio, Joe (Diane) Markus of Burr Oak, Mike (Suzanne) Markus of Texas, Barbara (David) Gerhard of Portage and Greg (Penny) Markus of Racine Wisconsin. She is also survived by 16 nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Bob and Janet Markus.

Visit with family and friends on Thursday (Feb 25) from 4-7PM at Betzler & Thompson Life Story Funeral Home, 60900 M-40 Hwy, Paw Paw (269) 657-3870. Private service will be live streamed at 11AM Friday (Feb 26) and a Memorial Mass will be held on Friday (Feb 26) at 1:30pm at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 1150 Centre Ave, Portage. Nancy will be buried next to her parents at St. Mary Cemetery. Please visit Nancy’s personal web page at www.BetzlerLifeStory.com, where you can read her life story, archive a favorite memory or photo, and sign her online guestbook. Memorial contributions may be made to Kalamazoo Gospel Mission.