Nancy Louise Berry, 84, passed away March 25, 2017, at TriState Hospital in Clarkston, WA surrounded by her loving family. Nancy was born August 5, 1932 in Grass Valley, CA to George and Marie (Hansen) Parcher. Her father was in construction, so she lived in many places including Elma, Ellensburg, Cle Elum, Renton, and Seattle where she attended Catholic and public schools. She moved to Colfax the summer before her senior year and worked at the Colfax Creamery. It was that summer when Ken Berry noticed the "new girl" in town. The story goes that she was walking on Main Street when a nail "fell" from the top of the grain elevator that he was working on. The nail hit her in the leg, she noticed him, and the relationship grew from there. The following summer, on June 25, 1950, Nancy married Kenneth Jay Berry Sr. at the Colfax Methodist Church. Nancy was a farm wife, homemaker, and mother of five children. They farmed near Colfax where they raised their close-knit family. Because of her wonderful teaching experience as Jean Larsen's morning and afternoon kindergarten teacher aide in 1962, Nancy caught the "teaching bug." She decided to pursue a teaching degree and graduated from WSU with distinction in June, 1968 with a BA in English. Nancy was a TA in the speech department at WSU while receiving her MA in speech. In the fall of 1969, she began her teaching career of 25 years at Colfax High School where she taught English, yearbook, debate, speech, journalism, and business communications. She also taught English at the Junior High and even instructed adults in evening ESL classes. For many years, Nancy was Honor Society advisor and also served as cheerleader advisor for a time. She enjoyed teaching with her eldest daughter and had some of her children and grandchildren as students. She retired to Gilbert, AZ in the winter and to Priest Lake, ID in the summer. During retirement, she substitute taught for the Gilbert School District at various grade levels. In 2002, she and Ken moved back to Spokane. Nancy spent the past 4 ½ years in Clarkston. She enjoyed traveling, gardening, home decorating, refurbishing antiques, sewing, time with family at their Priest Lake cabin, cooking for family celebrations, tea parties, and especially teaching! She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, two sisters and one brother. Surviving are her brother Rt. Rev. Abbot Adrian Parcher, O.S.B. of Lacey, WA, her five children: Jan (Wayne) Varnes of Colfax, Kenneth Jay Berry Jr (Mary) of Gilbert, AZ, Joy (Dirk) Boettcher of Lewiston, ID, Joanie Hansen of Monroe, WA, and Jeana (Robb) Obom of Kent, WA, 13 grandchildren Trevor Varnes, Andrew Varnes, Dr. Cristine Berry, Laura Berry, Brett Berry, Erin Svancara, Erik Boettcher, Kyle Boettcher, Nathan Hansen, Brooke Thompson, Kendra Obom, Meghan Obom, and Caitlin Obom, and 10 great grandchildren Henrik, Kolbjorn, Noah, Tayvin, Chiara, Sora, Wyatt, Ben, Madeline, and Maisie.
Memorial contributions may be given in Nancy's honor to:
Colfax School Foundation N. 1207 Morton Street Colfax, WA 99111

Colfax Hospital Foundation JW & Associates 104 W. Island Street Colfax, WA 99111

TriState Hospital Foundation 1254 Highland Avenue Clarkston, WA 99403

Services will be held at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Colfax at a later date (celebrant by her brother, Abbot Adrian Parcher, one time pastor of St. Patrick's).