Nancy Ann Cartwright Hamer

Nancy Ann Cartwright Hamer, age 90, passed to her eternal home on Friday, March 14, 2025 in Mankato, Minnesota.

Memorial service will be at 11 a.m., on Saturday, March 22, 2025 at Centenary United Methodist Church, Mankato, with Rev. Roger Wolsey officiating. Visitation will be at the church for one hour before the service. Graveside service and interment will take place on Friday, March 28, 2025 at 1 p.m. at the Whitney Cemetery, Pastor Martin Leeper, officiating. Livestream of the funeral service will be available at https://boxcast.tv/view/3-23-25-funeral-rtccynjgjc3nlnkuyy9g. Arrangements by Mankato Mortuary, Mankato.

Nancy was born on January 5, 1935, in Crawford, Nebraska, to Ellen Dodd Cartwright and Percy J. Cartwright. Her maternal grandparents, Clara Moody Dodd and Calvin Hathaway Dodd, and her paternal grandparents, Cora Cripps Cartwright and Lewis N. Cartwright, were homesteaders when the territory was opened in 1885.

Nancy was baptized and confirmed in the Warring Memorial Methodist (now United Methodist) Church in Whitney Nebraska, of which her grandparents were charter members in 1885. There she attended Sunday School, the highlight of her week, and later taught Sunday School, sang in the church choir, and enjoyed attending Methodist summer camps at Chadron State Park. Nancy was also active in 4H, exhibiting at the Dawes County Fair in the home arts of cooking and sewing—skills and knowledge she put to good use throughout her lifetime.

Nancy attended grade school at rural District 62, Whitney, Nebraska and attended Chadron High School, traveling fifteen miles each way. Nancy was the piano accompanist for the high school choir and for most of the instrumental soloists, including her future husband, Dick Hamer. Nancy graduated as valedictorian of her class.

Nancy attended Chadron State Teachers College for two years, then transferred to the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, where she graduated with distinction in 1956, with a Bachelor of Science in Education. Proficient in shorthand and typing, she financed all her own college education by working part time as a secretary, particularly in the law office of Greydon L. Nichols in Chadron. While in college, Nancy was active in Wesley Foundation and became president of the Nebraska State United Methodist Student Movement, attending the National Conference of the Methodist Student Movement in 1956.

Nancy and her high school sweetheart, Richard W. Hamer, were married on September 11, 1954, at the United Methodist Church in Chadron, Nebraska. They have recently celebrated 70 years of happy and devoted marriage. To this union were born their beloved son and daughter Richard Lewis Hamer and Lynne Marie Hamer.

In 1956, Nancy and Richard moved to San Antonio, Texas, where he was stationed with the United States Army at Fort Sam Houston. During this time, Nancy taught first grade at the Fort Sam Houston Elementary School and later was employed as a legal secretary in the Ridgeway Law Office. After completion of his military duty, the couple returned to Chadron, Nebraska, where Nancy acted as Director of Wesley Foundation at Chadron State for two years.

After several happy years raising their young family in Omaha, Nebraska, Nancy and Dick moved to Mankato, Minnesota in 1967.

In addition to making the family’s home in Mankato, Nancy worked for over thirty years as Office Manager of her husband’s insurance office. As a member of Centenary United Methodist Church, Nancy taught Sunday School for several years and regularly served on the Administrative Board and many committees. Nancy served on the Boards of the United Way, the American Red Cross, the American Cancer Society, as secretary of the St. Josephs Hospital Foundation and as chair of its annual fund drive, and as president of the Mankato Symphony Board, in which she was especially interested. For many years, she was a creative and inspiring leader for Bluebirds and Camp Fire Girls at Franklin School. In recognition of these and other contributions, Nancy was the recipient of the YWCA Women of Distinction Award.

Nancy valued being a good neighbor on North Second Street, and she was an intrepid organizer of efforts to maintain the neighborhood and broader community: Nancy was co-chair of the grassroots Save Tourtellotte Pool committee, which was successful in bringing about the building of a new pool and renovation of the WPA-era pool house in 1981. Throughout the decade from 1998 to 2008, Nancy played a key role in the delay and subsequent termination of the effort to route coal trains through the Mankato area. Throughout the decades, when Nancy’s acquaintances caught wind of a potential challenge to the community, Nancy was a first call for suggestions on how to address it.

Nancy was a member and served in various offices of Chapter U., P.E.O.; Anthony Wayne Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution; and Thursday Reading Club. Her interests included reading, music, theater, gardening, antiquing, playing games, Twins baseball, travel (especially with her grandchildren), and visiting with friends. Her great joy was in being with her beloved children, grandchildren and extended family for vacations, holidays, birthdays, school activities, and the annual family reunion.

Nancy taught her children and grandchildren the importance of taking responsibility, showing up, being prepared, and giving your best. She never missed having sugar cookie dough ready for decorating cut-outs at Christmas, and had the best collection of dress-up clothes anyone could want. She was an excellent reader, writer, and storyteller, and passed on these talents through instruction and example.

Surviving are members of her beloved family: Richard W. Hamer, husband, of Mankato; Richard L. Hamer, son, and his wife, Donna, of Mendota Heights, Minnesota; Lynne M. Hamer, daughter, of Toledo, Ohio; grandchildren Anna Hamer (Zach Eicher), William Hamer, Julia Hamer-Light (Jason Ressler), and Sam Hamer-Light; nieces and nephew Pamela Lay, Janis Thelen, Thomas Geu and his wife, Carol; and great nephews and nieces, Cody Lay (Elizabeth); Rikki Lay Frey (James); Joanie Thelen Huebner (Jack); Andrew Thelen (Becca); Taylor Geu; and six grandnephews and -nieces. Preceding Nancy in death are her parents; brothers, John Lewis Cartwright and Michael Percy Cartwright; sister, Evelyn J. Geu; brother-in-law, Earl H. Geu; and nephew-in-law, Steve Thelen.C

Contributions in Nancy's memory may be made to Whitney Warring Memorial United Methodist Church, Centenary United Methodist Church, the Mankato Symphony Orchestra, or an organization of choice.