Nancy (Aileen) Rushlow Anderson passed away peacefully on December 8, 2020 at Chelsea Retirement Community - Towsley Memory Care Facility in Chelsea, MI. She was 76.
Born in 1944, in Massachusetts, to Bruce and Aileen Rushlow of Saginaw, MI, Nancy spent much of her childhood following her father, a career Marine Corps officer, at his many duty stations. These included locations in California, Maryland, and even China for a short time. A favorite was China Lake Naval Air Station in the high desert of southern California, where climbing Mount Whitney with her father was a highlight of her early teens.
A nurturing person, she gravitated toward nursing, and graduated from the Lucy Webb Hayes School of Nursing in Washington, DC. Her exposure to a military environment during her upbringing led to an appreciation of duty and service and she joined the Air Force as a nurse in 1966. She served at Orlando Air Force Base, where she met her future husband, Rodney Anderson, then serving in the Navy at Sanford, FL. Married in March of 1968, Nancy and Rod enjoyed a short honeymoon before separating, Rod aboard USS Forrestal deploying to the Mediterranean, and Nancy transferring to Mather AFB, CA. The year-long separation was difficult, but Nancy was able to travel to Rome to visit Rod during an in-port period. Likewise, Rod was able to visit Nancy in Sacramento, a trip that included the couple’s first visit to Disneyland.
Settling down at Rod’s duty station at Pensacola, FL, the couple were blessed with the birth of their first child, Rebecca, in 1970. Following a six-year stint in Maryland, they relocated to southern California in 1979. Their daughter, Jocelyn, was born the same year, followed by their son, Owen, in 1982. The decade of the 80s was marked by the usual duties of homemaking and child rearing, modified by the characteristics of living in Los Angeles. A lover of the ocean, Nancy could often be found at one of the numerous beaches nearby. Disneyland was another favorite attraction for the family. In spite of all the distractions, Nancy ensured a family meal was served virtually every evening.
Disturbed by the decline in culture and rising crime rates in Los Angeles, the family relocated to Michigan and Chelsea in 1989. Nancy, who always considered herself an honorary Michigander, reveled in the return to her roots. She loved the state, and enjoyed vacations to Bay View and Mackinac Island. She was active in the community in a number of ways, volunteering at Chelsea Retirement Community and Our Savior Lutheran Church, where she was a member for many years.
Her mild and friendly demeanor masked an underlying love of travel and the outdoors. During her bachelorette years, she often embarked on lone adventures, including several cross-country trips, and solo camping in Yosemite National Park. During her married life, she enjoyed backpacking with her family on the Appalachian Trail, especially in Shenandoah National Park, and camping trips to National Parks in the West.
Afflicted by early onset Alzheimer’s, Nancy spent the last eight years of her life at the Towsley Memory Care Facility. It would be very wrong to think that these were lost years, however. Once her condition had stabilized in its later stages, Nancy loved to roam the corridors of Towsley and Glazier with her spouse. She especially liked lounging in the Glazier gazebo prior to lunch, munching grapes in the sunshine. As speaking became rarer for her, staff and residents tried their best to get a return “hello” from Nancy, which she still was able to do quite often.
A Funeral Service will be held on Friday, December 11, 2020, 1:00 p.m., at Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea, with the V. Rev. Dr. William J. Canon Turner officiating. Visitation is 11 a.m. until the time of service at the funeral home. Funeral directors are following current Michigan Department of Health and Human Services guidelines for COVID-19; those attending will be instructed accordingly and masks must be worn.
