Obituary of Nancy Fish

Age 65, of Inver Grove Heights, MN. Went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, February 6, 2014, after a courageous battle with cancer, surrounded at her home by loving family members and her boxers, George and Maybe. A memorial service for Nancy is planned at 11 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 10, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 7600 Cahill Ave., IGH. It will be followed by food and refreshments at the church at noon, and then a social gathering and remembrance at the South St. Paul VFW. Friends may call from 9-11 a.m. before the service. Nancy will be dearly missed by her family and friends, who will remember her for her love, kindness, sense of humor, and can-do spirit. She is survived by her beloved husband of 25 years, Jerry Payne; brother, James Fish, Jr. (Ann) and nephew James Fish III of Sacramento, CA; stepchildren Sherri Williams (Rusty), Estherville, IA; Susan Buban, Minn.; Mary Jo Schebaum (Brian), Westboro, MO; and Billy Payne, Ariz.; sisters-in-law Sally Nitchals (Ed) and Helen Nitchals, Estherville; Annabell Soat (Bob), Spirit Lake, IA, and numerous step grandchildren and step great grandchildren. Nancy is preceded in death by her parents, James and Dorothea Fish, and brother, Dick Fish, mother-in-law Myrtle Payne, and brothers-in-law George Payne, Jim Payne and Lee Nitchals. Nancy was born in Minneapolis. After attending the University of Minnesota, she married Jerry Payne from Estherville and settled in Inver Grove Hts. She served as grand marshal of St. Paul’s Grand Old Days and parade marshal of Kaposia Days, was a member of Daughters of the Nile, and a volunteer with Masons and Shriners. Nancy was honored by her community as Citizen of the Year, and served on the Chamber of Commerce and local TV station boards. She was an accomplished horsewoman dating to 4H and competition jumping, kept two horses, and was equally at home with wranglers on weeklong rides in the Montana wilderness as she was with local leaders. She loved her boxers and was active in the Minnesota Boxer Rescue Group. Together with Jerry, Nancy was owner-operator of Bywords Printing for 35 years. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Minnesota Boxer Rescue Group or Osman’s Shrine Women’s Auxiliary. Private interment in Estherville at a later date.