There are some stars that shine brighter than others and my grandmother was one of them.

Allison Ganier Havercamp with her grandmother Nancy "Nini" Ganier Haygood

I want to welcome you and thank each of you for being present with me and my family to celebrate the life of an extraordinary person, my Proverbs 31 woman, my grandmother, Nancy Strong Haygood Ganier, but to me and my family she was Nini. Nini for me is pound cake with almond extract, pink sinks in the bathroom and kitchen, tile rummy, Mr. and Mrs. Bond and Mr. and Mrs. Kelly, oak leaf hydrangeas, caramel pie, anything 100% cotton, and 300 College Street. I grew up my whole life spending weekends and days with Nini taking my best friends, Nora, Crystal, and Nicole, and cousin, Jimbo. Those memories were very simple, but always about us and playing tile rummy or going to the mall or grocery downtown to buy any special treat we wanted. And then as I got older I would call ALWAYS last minute and the first thing she would say to me was, “Are you coming to see me?” And I’d say, ”Well, I was thinking about about it.” And she’d say, ” Oh Good!” And delight in joy! Whatever her plans were for the day I was always included. There was NEVER a bad time and always included lunch at Taco Bell or Wendy’s with “Precious”, Mrs. Elizabeth Bond for those of you that don’t know her, and The Kelly’s where all the employees were friends at both restaurants. I learned what was important in this life at those lunch dates as well as a love for people of all ages.

It is hard to express how blessed I feel to have had Nini as my role model and grandmother. How fortunate I am to be able to pass on to my children and grandchildren all of the lessons I have learned from her to the next generation. She was a simple woman who in my eyes had life figured out. After I got married to my husband, John, and we had a family she gave me 2 pieces of advice. The first being “Don’t run up to him as soon as he walks in the door to tell him about the problems of the day with the children or the home. Let him sit down and relax at least 30 minutes and then tell him!” A second one and I will paraphrase… she said, “ Allison, do what married couples do ALOT, John will like that!” She loved my John and he loved her as I witnessed how he cared for her and would visit every evening during her last days. She and I had a deep, authentic bond and talked about everything…as evident in her advice on marriage I just shared.

Many years ago, I ran across a list of 15 “Ways to Stay Young” and it reminded me of her. She lived them all with an exception of 1… And they are as follows:

1. Applaud Other’s successes.
2. Exercise Daily - Until the age of 94 when she moved to Jackson, she would walk down that big hill on college street every morning and walk 1.5 miles in the gym with her friends
3. Keep a positive Attitude- If you met her one time you would know this to be true
4. Read widely and often- She was an avid reader and library board member for over 20 years
5. Play with Children- Nothing gave her more joy than children and she would play in the floor with mine until the end of her 98 years
6. Enjoy Nature- She loved to sit and watch birds or record the weather if nothing else for the day in her diary year after year
7. Laugh Heartily- What an infectious life she had!
8. Take a class- Even at 98 years old she continued weekly bible studies at the Meadows on Sunday afternoon at 3:00
9. Plant a garden- In her late 80’s and early 90’s she started another garden in her back yard and shared fern and rocks with so many of you
10. Count your blessings- a daily witness
11. Take risks- At 94 years of age she packed up her life of 72 years in the same house and church and moved to Jackson to start a new one and how well she demonstrated embracing risk and change
12. Sing from your heart
13. Eat healthy
14. Give generously to others- I believe she did that one the best as she gave me all of herself, her faith, and her hope in Jesus Christ

The one exception was “get a pet”…And she once told me a story about how a boy picked her up for a date and told her she smelled like a dog! And she thought I will never have a dog in my house…I think it scarred her for life!

The last 4 years of her life were I believe some of her happiest. My youngest child, Hayes, was born shortly after she moved to Jackson. I will cherish the memories and laughter and joy I got to experience watching the 2 of them together at the Meadows. We called it “Wednesdays with Hayes” as he would go and they would spend the morning together playing games, feeding the fish, playing pool, eating cookies and chips and many other fun things. Always simple, always fun! She would often say to me, “This is my heaven on earth.” Other times Edward and Elise, my older children, would go over too at night and play bingo and see the circle of life right before their very eyes. What a gift of time God blessed me with! John and I would go out to eat while they were there and someone once asked us where the kids were and his reply when we told them the Meadows with my 98 yr old grandmother was, “Man, Babysitting at the nursing home is the best deal going in this town!”

She would often send me me “gems of advice” in the mail that she had read and found value and I kept most of them and over the years have added to them. I wanted to leave you with a few remarks taken and paraphrased from a few of those clippings that she and I compiled that remind me of her the most and that I will carry with me the rest of my life.

“Just for today I will be happy…”
“I will honor Nini’s life and faithfulness , remember the love she sowed, the lessons she taught me, the faith she modeled, and the joy and hope she shared. And even though I can no longer see her, she will be with me. A person like Nini is more than a memory. She is a living presence.”

In honor of her, may we all shine our brightest for the rest of our days on this earth.

Thank you

Allison Ganier Havercamp
April 17, 2014

Obituary
Jackson - Nancy Ganier, 98, formerly of Dyersburg,Tennesse, died Sunday, April 13, 2014 at her residence. She was born on January 31, 1916 in Arkadelphia, Arkansas to Lillian and James Haygood. She was preceded in death by her husband, Roger Ganier, Sr., her son, Dr. Mitchell Ganier, her sister, Tommie Jean Kennedy and her brother James Haygood. While living in Memphis, she attended Southwestern at Memphis where her father,Jimmy Haygood, coached the football team.

After her marriage to Roger in the early 40s, she lived in Dyersburg for almost seventy years. In Dyersburg, Nancy was an active member of her church’s community (First United Methodist Church).

Nancy's Home for nearly 70 years

Ganier,Haygood,Kennedy reunion picture circa 1961

Nancy Ganier is in the center,hands on the chair, flanked by her husband Roger Ganier Sr. to her right and her son Roger Ganier jr. to her left

left to right standing: Tommie Jean Kennedy,unknown cousin?,Cary Andrew Kennedy III,Rodger Ganier Sr.,Nancy Ganier,Rodger Ganier Jr.,Letishia Haygood,Mitchell Haygood
left to right sitting: Twink Haygood,Claudia Kennedy,Haygood Collie,Nancy Kennedy,Jimmy Ganier,Libby Lou Kennedy, Matriarch,Lillian "Bene" Haygood.

notes:Tommie Jean Kennedy is mother to Cary,Claudia,Nancey,and Libby

Rodger Ganier and Nancy Ganier are father and mother of Rodger jr,Mitchell,and Jimmy

Litishia Haygood is mother to Valerie "Twink" Haygood.

Nancy Ganier was on the library board, volunteered at the hospital and held many offices at the church. A skilled bridge player, she played in Dyersburg as well as her later home in Jackson, TN. She was a joy to all who knew her. Her bright spirit and positive outlook endeared her to everyone she met. She was active until a few years before her death playing games with her great-grandchildren. Her focus was always outward on others. She bore the loss of her husband and son with great courage and dignity. Her life was an example of living with grace through sorrow and joy. She leaves two sons, Dr. Roger Ganier, Jr. and wife, Gail of Covington and Jim Ganier and wife, Laura of Hickory Withe, TN. Her six grandchildren are Alex Ganier and wife, Kellye, Allison Ganier Havercamp and husband, John, Jim Ganier and fiancée, Robin, Matt Ganier and wife, Sarah, Shane Ganier and wife, Jen and Patrick Ganier and wife, Marcie. Additionally she leaves nine great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be 11 a.m., Thursday, April 17 in the Sanctuary at the First United Methodist Church conducted by Dr. Susan Sharpe. Visitation will follow the services in the fellowship hall of the church until 1 p.m. The family requests memorials be directed to McIver’s Grant Public Library or First United Methodist Church. Online condolences are available on our website www.curryfuneral.com Curry Funeral Home (731)285-2242

- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/commercialappeal/obituary.aspx?n=nancy-ganier&pid=170650330&fhid=17179#sthash.hJk4diTN.dpuf

Haygood Family