Nancy Louise
Rivers
(B: March 12, 1939 in Ludlow,
Kentucky;
D: June 16, 2008 at Hillcrest
Hospital, Waco, Texas)
Nancy was born to Dewey and Leona
Hammons at their home in Ludlow,
Kentucky on March 12, 1939. She had
seven brothers and two sisters. She
attended elementary and secondary
schools in Ludlow, graduating from
Ludlow High School in 1956.
Post-secondary education was
obtained at the University of
Kentucky (Northern and Lexington
campuses), University of West
Virginia and Western Kentucky
University.
Nancy began her employment career as
a teller at the Ludlow Bank
following her graduation from high
school. After her marriage in
December, 1960, she served in
administrative positions in a
variety of organizations including
the University of Kentucky Medical
Center, Purdue University School of
Veterinary Science, Mingo County
(WV) Development Corporation and
Hospital Affiliates International.
Following a move to Waco in 1981,
she served as an administrative
assistant at Word, Inc. until 1989.
She was then employed in Scott and
White's Waco Clinic until 1997 when
she was made manager of Scott and
White's O.B.-Gyn. Clinic located in
Providence Hospital. She remained in
that position until her retirement
in November, 2000.
From Nancy's second decade, muscular
dystrophy gradually, inexorably
deprived her of mobility, confining
her to a wheel chair during her last
fifteen years. Though her physical
strength slowly ebbed, she was
lifted and sustained by the love and
encouragement of her husband, family
and friends. Her undaunted spirit
cast off the chains of disability to
soar on the wings of her poetry of
joy, love and light. Her remarkable
intelligence, wisdom, compassion,
love of life, unyielding contention
with adversity, rejection of
bitterness and unquenchable love of
God are ever present in her poems,
prayers and stories. She took
pleasure in adapting, coping and
living well despite her body's
failing strength. In so doing, she
attained a victory of the spirit
through an exemplary life of courage
that inspired all who knew and loved
her.
Nancy was preceded in death by her
parents, three brothers and one
sister. She is survived by her
husband of 48 years, David L.
Rivers; sister: Martha Daly; and
brothers: Eugene, Charles, Harold
and Edwin Hammons and many well and
truly loved nieces and nephews.
Nancy's Life will be celebrated in a
memorial service that will be held
at Lake Shore Baptist Church, where
she was a member, on Wednesday, June
18, 2008 at 2:00 P.M.
Memorial donations to the Hillcrest
Baptist Medical Center's Hospice
Program and the Muscular Dystrophy
Association are encouraged.
