Most people think of Shirley Temple when they hear the song “Good Ship Lollipop”, but for Nancy Willis, it always conjures up memories of her childhood, the platform her dad built for her to tap dance on while her mom played the piano and her aunt the violin. Just 10 years old at the time, this is still one of her favorite memories of a fun-filled childhood.
Nancy’s life didn’t get any less interesting as she grew into adulthood. Always active and willing to try anything, she became a teacher for 2nd and 3rd graders for an impressive 38 years! She considers this one of the great achievements of her life. While molding and shaping countless young minds, she also raised two children on her own and she is also a proud grandmother of three.
After retiring, she didn’t slow down but found another passion: volunteering at the local animal shelter. She fed the animals, cleaned cages, and helped find them homes with forever families.
Four years ago she moved to Pacifica Senior Living San Leandro and has been on the go, enjoying all sorts of different activities and finding new hobbies. In her own words, she shared, “I enjoy my home here because I have good neighbors, friends, and staff members that are very helpful. I like to be active all the time and my favorite activities are: badminton, crossword puzzles, singing, bingo, bean bag toss, and exercising.” You’ll always find her ready to laugh at a good joke or enjoy an entertaining comedy and she loves old country music and traditional hymns. And because she’s from Northern California, she is also a Golden State Warriors fan!
In her own words, “What a satisfying life!” May we all feel the same when we reach Nancy’s age and reflect back of the landscape of our lives.
Tags: Resident Spotlight
