Nancy Wilson was born June 25,1948 at Montevideo Hospital, Chippewa County, Minnesota to Carl and Verdine (Brunkow) Jaenisch. Nancy passed away peacefully at home on March 15, 2026, with her beloved cats and sisters there by her side.
She was baptized, confirmed and married in the Lutheran faith at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Clara City, MN. She graduated from Clara City Public High School in 1966. After graduating from College, Nancy taught English in Danube, MN and then after marriage she taught in Gallup, NM and Butte, MT.
She moved to Great Falls, MT to assist her sister Rosalie with work she was doing at Newman Stables. It was during this time she met her husband, Michael Wilson. Michael worked for Anaconda Mining Company, and Nancy and Michael moved for his work to Gallup, NM and Butte, MT. After spending several years in Butte, the couple moved back to Great Falls so that they could care for Michael’s parents. Nancy was a lifelong caregiver to many. She worked with the Cascade County Foster Grandparent Director and then as the Director of Meals-on-Wheels from October 1985 until her retirement in May 2014.
In addition to her work feeding many in our community she was an active volunteer. She assisted with Thanksgiving/Christmas meals for those that didn’t have family. She also worked on special events such as providing hot chocolate for tree lighting ceremonies and events held at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center. She was instrumental in the creation of the Fundraiser “Thursday Night Supper Club” at the Great Falls Senior Center. While at Foster Grandparents and Meals-on-Wheels, Nancy made numerous friends and was well known in Cascade County for her hard work and dedication to those in need. She was often asked after she retired if she would please go back to Meals-on-Wheels because the place was not the same without her. She was an avid reader and an active volunteer with the AAUW Book Sale at the Great Falls Public Library. She was also an animal lover and adopted many cats (both tame and feral) as well as volunteering and donating financially to many animal rescue charities.
She is survived by her, sister Ruth (Easley, SC), sister and brother-in-law Rosalie and Dennis (Grand Rapids, MN), and brother and sister-in-law Rodney and Tammy (Clara City, MN), Nephews James, Richard (partner Mark), Travis, and Michael, nieces Susan, Becky, Laurie, and Alisha as well as their family members. She is survived by her special friend James Hall, friend Audrey Finlayson, feline companions Rascal and Rudi, as well as many other friends throughout Montana, Minnesota, and South Carolina.
Nancy is preceded in death by her parents Carl and Verdine, husband Michael, sister-in-law Patty, father and mother-in-law Jack and Lois, brother Arnold, sister-in-law Chereen, sister-in-law Sharon, brother-in-law Jim, and Nephew Randy.
The family wishes to thank A Plus Health Care caregivers and Stillwater Hospice for all that they did to help grant Nancy’s wish to remain in her home with her beloved feline companions Rascal and Rudi for the last few months. Nancy’s wish was that donations would be made to her favorite charities in her name: Pet-Paw-See or Friends of the Great Falls Public Library.
Visitation will be held at Croxford Funeral Home on March 20, 2026 from 2-4:30PM and interment will be at Hillcrest Mausoleum in Great Falls, MT at a later date.
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