MAYVILLE – Nancy Lou Barrus Tornstrom, 76, of Mayville, passed away after a short and acute illness that damaged her heart, at Hamot Hospital in Erie, Pa. on Wednesday (May 25, 2016).
Nancy was born in the Kimball Stand area, on May 15, 1940, having recently celebrated her 76th birthday at Hamot Hospital; she was the second and youngest child of Leonard F. and Marjory Griffin Barrus. She had lived in Falconer and then moved to Fentonville where she grew up on a small farm on the Wiltsie Road.
Nancy attended Frewsburg High School and graduated in 1958, where she was in the Honor Society and enjoyed the Debate Club. After High School she followed her dream in life to be a Registered Nurse. She attended WCA Hospital Training and graduated September 3, 1961. She worked the earliest part of her nursing career at the Westfield Memorial Hospital mostly in the emergency room area. She was later hired by Dr. Donald Brautigam as his head nurse and assisted him in establishing the Westfield Family Physicians in 1979. After working for this Doctor's office for 26 years, she retired in 2005.
Nancy married her high school sweetheart, William on November 25, 1961 in Frewsburg. Last year they celebrated their 54th anniversary; they lived Frewsburg until moving to Mayville in 1966. Together they raised three children while she followed her career in nursing and Bill spent a long career in Law Enforcement with her support.
Nancy and her family raised many German Shepards and her favorite Siamese cat – Sammy who lived a long life. She is sadly missed by her best friend and guardian Shepard dog Sierra who was allowed, to come visit her with a special pass during her stay at the hospital.
Nancy enjoyed her flowers and her birds, always proud of her porch boxes full of flowers every spring and summer. She enjoyed traveling with her family and did some competition pistol shooting earlier in her career with her husband.
She was a member of the NRA and Jamestown Rifle and Pistol Club where she competed with the indoor pistol league.
Nancy was a lifelong dedicated member of the Mayville United Methodist Church. She served as secretary for the Counsel Board and Trustee. She will always be remembered for making great different kinds of soups for Soup Sunday and for Fund Raisers.
Nancy was a nurse and grandmother to a large extended family, and many friends. Always willing to help family and friends, with medical questions. She stayed in connection with a group of fellow WCA nurses that she graduated with and they meet on a monthly basis. She was well known by her affection name of "Fuzz" by her fellow classmates.
Nancy is survived by her husband, William A. Tornstrom; three children, Susan (Patrick) Norrod of Frewsburg, Jeffrey W. (Robin) Tornstrom of Sherman, and Shelley Lee Tornstrom of High Point, NC; grandchildren, Darrell, Christopher, Jessie, Amanda, Danielle, Megan, and Zachrey; great grandchildren, Nickolas, Jacob, Bailey, Erin, and Andrew, Dakota, Brantley, Kylie, Kendra, and Kyle; and by their special "adopted" daughter, Marsha Gleason Vergith, whom always called her mom, and daughter Lisa who thought her as her grandmother.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Leonard F. and Marjory Griffin Barrus; grandparents, Willis and Clara Griffin; and her sister, Nellie Ann Rowley.
The funeral service will be held at 11:00 am Tuesday in the Mayville United Methodist Church. Rev. Mark Parsons will officiate. Burial will be in Fentonville Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 pm Monday at the Freay Funeral Home in Mayville.
Memorials may be made to Chautauqua County Humane Society or the Mayville United Methodist Church.
You can leave a message or light a candle for Nancy by going to www.freayfuneralhome.com.