Nancy Wall

Nancy Reber Wall of Woburn, Massachusetts passed away peacefully in her sleep on March 19, 2020 after a long-fought battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Born in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania on July 27, 1935, to the late George C. Reber and Helen Conway Reber, Nancy was an intelligent and curious girl, with an early proclivity for education. Even in the midst of her illness, Nancy was quick to recount her educational accomplishments and could frequently be heard telling the story of how she graduated first in her class from St. Mary High School. It may have been her intelligence and quick wit that drew her high school sweetheart and beloved husband, John C. Wall, to Nancy. Whatever it was that caught John's eye, Nancy and John were inseparable until John's passing in December of 2013, after 55 wonderful years of marriage. Nancy and John were truly the definition of soul mates.

Following high school, Nancy graduated Magna Cum Laude from Misericordia University, another accomplishment of which she was immensely proud. During her tenure at Misericordia, she served as Vice President of Student Government and President of the National Federation of Catholic College Students. Nancy was a member of Kappa Gamma Pi, a National Honor Society for Graduates of Catholic Colleges and Universities.

Upon graduation from Misericordia University in 1957, Nancy's skill in mathematics did not go unnoticed and she was quickly recruited by the National Security Agency in Fort Meade, Maryland, where she worked as a computer programmer. She then found work preparing cases for the computer division at Towers Perrin Forster & Crosby in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In 1963, Nancy and John settled in Bridgeton, New Jersey, where Nancy was finally able to follow her true calling and became a teacher of mathematics at Saint Rose of Lima in Newfield, New Jersey, a position she cherished for fifteen years. A pioneer of STEM for young women, Nancy did not miss any volunteer opportunity or National Mathematics Contest that would help the next generation of female mathematicians. She also never missed an opportunity to be involved in her own children's education, holding every office in the PTA for Immaculate Conception, where her children attended school. She was also active in the Regional PTA and served as a member of the Immaculate Conception Board of Education.

While Nancy was incredibly fond of her students and her years as a teacher, it was only a matter of time before she decided to finally step in and help her husband with his dental practice. She happily worked alongside John for over 25 years as a manager of John's dental practice.

Nancy's faith was unending and unyielding. She was a member of the parish of the Holy Cross/Saint Teresa of Avila Church and a former member of the Altar and Rosary Society. She also served as a lector for over ten years at Saint Teresa's. She also helped to open a Birthright office in Bridgeton, New Jersey where she volunteered for a number of years. In the final years of her life as her health failed, her unwavering faith was a comfort to both Nancy and her family.

Nancy loved music, books, and art. She was creative and thoughtful. Always the school teacher, she never missed an opportunity to teach her children first, and then her grandchildren. Pointing out grammatical errors was second-nature to Nancy. She can rest easy knowing that her family will always remember that "pies and cakes are done, people are finished."

Most of all, Nancy loved her family. She had a fierce pride in her children and grandchildren, as well as her many nieces and nephews. She loved spending time with her husband, sister, Joan R. Madden, brother-in-law Frank Madden, and children in Cape May, New Jersey in the summers, where they could frequently be found on their fishing boat, the Sea Wall. In later years, Nancy loved making more memories on the ocean with her grandchildren.

She will be greatly missed by all. Nancy was predeceased by her husband, John C. Wall, her sister, Joan R. Madden, and her grandson, Christopher DeCrescente.

She is survived by brother in law, Dr. Paul and Doris Wall and sister in law Elizabeth Borchard, her children Lynda Wall Schmidt and Dr. Martin Schmidt and their sons, Derek, Brian, Kevin, and Daniel of Gloucester, MA, Suzan Wall DeCrescente and Paul DeCrescente and their daughters, Cara, Lisa, and Megan of Hamden, CT, Patrick Wall and Shirley Phinney of Cape May, NJ, Gregory Wall and Patti Wall and their daughters, Katie and Jackie of Alloway Township, NJ, and David Wall and Julie Wall and their children, Michael and Natalie of Reading, MA, and many nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life for Nancy will be planned at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association (alz.org).