Nancy Louise Faatz

1939 - 2020

Old Orchard Beach- Nancy lost her life after a nine month battle with a Glioblastoma (brain tumor). Born in Portland, her early years were spent in Yarmouth on the family farm as the fifth of six children of Carolyn Louise (Crawford) and Earl Phillipe Blackwell. She loved growing up on the farm with animals. In the old barn the family raised chickens for eggs along with a goat named “Johnny Appleseed”, a hound named “Blackie” and the boxers her brother raised. But it was the barn that was the center of activities where she and her 3 brothers and 2 sisters played and got into trouble.

At age ten the family moved to Westminster Street in Portland when her older siblings were grown, leaving only Nancy and younger sister Joanne still at home. Nancy attended Portland schools and graduated from Deering High School in 1958. Her father passed on his love of the French Horn which she played in the high school band and made lifelong friends with classmates over their love of music.

After completing high school, Nancy attended Westbrook Junior College (now UNE) for a year honing secretarial skills. In August 1960, she married Roger Pettingill of Portland who had played trumpet in the Deering High School band (class of 1957). At the time Roger was stationed at Dow Air Force Base in Bangor for 3 years. Upon completing military obligations the couple returned to southern Maine and settled down in Cumberland Center to raise their children Brian and Anne.

After the marriage ended, Nancy worked at Greely Junior High School (now Cumberland Middle School) for 15 years as a secretary/aide to the eighth grade faculty thus making her work schedule similar to that of her school-age children. It was there she meet her future husband Wright, a science teacher. They were married in 1979 and in 1984 moved to West Cumberland where they built a home and lived for 30 years. In 2019 they celebrated 40 years together by spending several winter months in St. Augustine, Florida before returning to their Old Orchard Beach condo that they had retired to seven years earlier.

Over many years Nancy’s resume included working as a secretary for an insurance company, a law firm, and was assisting inspectors at the Portland Housing Authority at the time of her retirement. In addition to her work, Nancy was a member of the old Central Square Baptist Church in Portland and later a member of the Cumberland Congregational Church UCC.

Her many passions included knitting and was known for making Fair Isle and cable-knit sweaters that won blue ribbons at the Cumberland Fair. Her quality of her work and depth of knitting knowledge was amazing. She could create unusual patterns and took great pleasure in knitting one-of-a-kind Christmas stockings for many family members. The speed of her work allowed her to complete baby hats and finger-less mittens in just days. Nancy was an avid gardener spending hours in the gardens at her homes in Cumberland. Genealogy kept her busy researching her family lineage back to Scotland. Other passions included New England sport teams, especially the Boston Red Sox. She became a life-long fan upon visiting Fenway Park as a youngster with her family. Nancy was also a bird watcher who participated in the Cornell ornithology annual bird count. In her travels within the United States and Canada, she was always on the lookout for bird encounters and was accompanied by a handy pair of binoculars. Her language skills, memory and facility with words were on display completing the Sunday crossword puzzles and games. But it was her wonderful sense of humor, sharp wit and wonderful personality that was on display throughout her life and especially during her life-ending illness that will be remembered most.

Nancy is predeceased by her parents and four older siblings; Kenneth, Warren, George and Carolyn.

She is survived by her husband Wright Faatz; son Brian Pettingill and wife Kristina (Tina); daughter Anne Pettingill Ollmann and husband Tom; sister Joanne Conley and husband David; brother-in-law David Faatz; two step-sons Nathan Fates; Justin Faatz and wife Sarah; grandchildren Spencer, Grace and Avery Pettingill; step-grandchildren Sophia Fates, Joshua and Anna Faatz; and nieces and nephews Ruth, Jonathan, David, Julie, Randy, Judy, Joe, Jeff, Candy, Greg, Sue and Melanie. Along with an extended list of family members and friends, ‘Nannie’ will be missed and leaves a huge hole in their hearts and lives.

The family would like to thank the following wonderful organizations and staffs who guided Nancy through a very difficult time. Their guidance, compassionate care and advice is to be remembered and is lovingly appreciated; Mercy Hospital, Maine Medical Center, New England Rehabilitation Hospital of Portland, Maine Medical Neurology (especially Dr’s Rughani, Lu-Emerson, Johnson and Gagnon), Northern Light Health, Comfort Keeper’s, the Barron Center and Hospice of Southern Maine (Gosnell Memorial Hospice House).

The interment is to be held at the Blanchard Cemetery in Falmouth on Winn Road at the family plot next Spring. A private family gathering will be held at a later date to celebrate and reflect on a life well lived. Arrangements are under the care of Lindquist Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Nancy name to the Maine Cancer Foundation, 170 US-1 #250, Falmouth, ME 04105.