Nancy Lynn MacLean

Nancy (Nanci with one i) L. MacLean, 65 years of age, passed away peacefully in University Place, Washington on June 10, 2017 at Hospice House located at 2901 Bridgeport Way. She was born in Glendale, California on December 8, 1951 to James Mickey Dunlap Jr. and Kay (Kannow) Dunlap. Nancy was a member of Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church for 14 years, being active in the church choir for 13 years, and serving as a Deacon from 2009-2012. She worked there as a volunteer receptionist for 7 years and also volunteered as part of the church’s Hospital Visitation Team for several years. Nancy spent much of her time volunteering for many different organizations, including volunteer work with the city of Gig Harbor, where she received Volunteer of the Year in 2010, and with St. Joseph’s Hospital. Nancy attended Pacific Lutheran University and received her BA. She was best known for volunteerism, her love of others, her commitment to her two husbands, her competitive spirit in playing Pirates Rummy, her love of nature, birds, and free and godly spirit. Her favorite past times/hobbies were Bible study with supporting her husband, Bible study with her girl-friends, being in nature, going on trips, dumpster diving with specific friends and loving on others in personal and creative ways. Nancy is survived by her husband, Dr. William P. MacLean just shy of 2 years of marriage; her father, James M. Dunlap, Jr; her brother and his wife; and her church family. She is deeply loved and will be missed dearly and mourned with hope by her family and friends, church family, and Brookdale Community where she and Dr. Bill had just started a church plant. A Memorial Service in her honor will take place at Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church in Gig Harbor, WA on Saturday, July 1, 2017 at 11:00AM.

 

 

A note from her adoring husband, Dr. William MacLean:

 

My dear dear Nancy... 

          On May 4th, 7:56 am, a Sunday: Nanci wrote : My sweet Bill...I am praying and asking God to give us both wisdom and guidance in discerning His will for our relationship (e.g. future plans, timing, etc.) You have already been a healing balm in my life and have brought me great joy.

          In our courtship my new friend and I discovered we had much in common, our love of music, our Lord and in serving others, she in her arena and I in mine. Her name literally means “ God is gracious and merciful” and her middle name meant symbolically a “welsh lake” reflecting God’s wisdom. She lived such out without guile.

 

A Prayer for my Beloved Bill

 

Early in the morning, Lord, we come to you with praise

Our hearts cry out we love you; we’ll worship you this day.

 

Help us to be salt and light to all whom we might meet

With great humility and a servant’s heart, may we stoop to wash their feet.

 

May our “cracked pots” be filled to overflowing with streams of living water

And may we pour out love and grace to all your sons & daughters.

 

Use us to bring healing to this broken world you love

And may all your children see & know that this love is from above.

 

May your spirit grant us power as we move throughout our day

Help us to speak words of truth and grace in a kind & gentle way.

 

May we look to you with a grateful heart as we finish up our day

And may we praise you for your faithfulness in big & little ways.

 

Inspired by the Holy Spirit / Written by Nanci

June 18, 2014 (Father’s Day)

 

          In our marriage I would come to know of her fierce loyalty, compassionate nature and open armed policy toward all and her intense and prayerful respect of me as her husband. I loved her deeply for that. In this woman, by her bed side, as she battled cancer for these four years, I witnessed her indomitable courage and fortitude that had to come from Jesus alone.

          Nanci, one day in discussion with me said, "You don't have to make this very risky journey with me...since the Cancer had come back..", giving me a private face saving opportunity to turn away, I choose not to, rather than running from the pain as her spouse to be, I choose to embrace it, moving toward it, walking alongside her, laughing with her and learning so much about the grace of God in the rugged spots. I would have not only been a fool to spurn His graciousness, mercy and Wisdom, but would have missed the most adventuresome two years of my life and its blessings.

          We met on Easter Resurrection Sunday at Chapel Hill in 2014 and the picture we have for you as a memento was taken in 2017, so you will never forget her, as this photo is of my last Easter or Resurrection brunch with her at Anthony’s in Gig Harbor. Our time though brief was rich and deeply meaningful.

          It is how so many of you experienced her, alive, chatty, animated, enjoying the moment and looking you in the eye, saying “ I love you my friend and are we not having a great, great time”. Her nails ablaze with color and hair coiffured, her favorite necklace, dangling earrings, her favorite empurpled blouse and her love of relational conversation says it all.

          This was April of 2017, when the picture was taken and by June 10th, she went back to Her Creator and Savior after a long protracted and brave struggle with cancer. O Lord, teach us to number our days, that we may apply our heart to your wisdom.

          Christianity is based centrally upon the Resurrection of Christ from out of the dead with 17 definitive and life changing illustrations from the NT, where the Resurrected Christ transforms any person facing any loss, grief, doubt, skepticism and loneliness. Easter was always special for Nanci and I. Now even more so, for the “death” of a believer spouse is now called “sleep” to awake in heaven in the presence of the Lord. This is found in I Corinthians. 15 and Philippians 1.

          While you and I grieve as believers, as family, as her spouse and her many friends, we can and must grieve deeply with hope to process our loss and heaven’s gain, attaining a sobered, but joyful perspective.

          I close with this quote from C.S. Lewis about life as a Christian. This is Nanci’s benediction, blessing upon you, if she were here in person today: She would share with her smile and persona asking you a question and following up with a gentle reminder.

“Has this world been so kind to you that you leave with regret?   There are better things ahead than we leave behind...and nothing [e.g. my dear dear husband, family and friends* emphasis mine] is more important today than that you wear your wonderful smile, and that you accept God the Father's smile of redemption and salvation, the forgiveness of your sins offered in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ” This would be Nanci's hope, wish and desire, today, in this time of celebrating her life and legacy.”.

Nancy is survived by her husband, Dr. William P. MacLean just shy of 2 years of marriage on June 13th, 2015; her father, James M. Dunlap, Jr; her brother and his wife from Arizona Mr and Mrs. Bob Dunlap; and two church families, Chapel Hill Presbyterian church and the the church community, she and her husband started in February, 2017 at Brookdale Residential home entitled Brookdale Community church, where she ministered alongside her husband Bill. She is deeply loved, missed dearly and mourned with hope by her family and friends. 

 

Her life motto was this: Jeremiah 29:11/12:

11 For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. 12 'Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.…

 

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