Obituary: Nancy Kesseler

Nancy was born Aug. 27, 1942, to Julie and G.F. Baer in Glencoe, Ill. After she graduated from New Trier High School in 1960, she went on to study education at Washington University in St. Louis. There, she met her beloved, Alan Kessler, as he drove the carpool for the sorority girls performing in the Bearskin Follies variety show. Although Nancy’s first impression of Alan was to tell her roommate, “Don’t let me go out with him again,” Nancy and Alan were wed in 1964 and enjoyed 59 beautiful years of marriage, raising two children together.

They spent those years creating a life in 14 different homes as they built a family and a career in Deerfield, Ill., Pittsburgh, Penn., Michigan City, Ind., Danville, Va. and Dunwoody/Sandy Springs, Ga. In each of those places, Nancy created an inviting home and a network of friends that became her second family. Many of those friends were made when Nancy was on the tennis courts and dancing up a storm with Alan in recreational square dance clubs. As her children grew, Nancy became increasingly involved in Jewish organizations. This included roles as president of the local Hadassah chapter, employee of Hadassah, president of Temple Jeremiah Sisterhood, Temple Jeremiah board member, and Beth Shalom Sunday school teacher. During her empty nesting phase, Nancy enjoyed working with her sister, Peggy Swartchild, at Peggy’s store, Material Possessions.

Simultaneously, Nancy was very involved with her children’s activities and school groups. Her final move was to Dunwoody where she became the Dunwoody Newcomers Club president. She made many wonderful friends in the Dunwoody community and enjoyed many years of mahjong and canasta games, clubs, water aerobics, and Pilates.

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Nancy is survived by Alan Kessler, (husband), Bruce Kessler (son), Janet Armstrong (daughter), Maggie Armstrong, Claire Armstrong, David Armstrong, Hailey Kessler, and Lindsey Kessler (grandchildren).

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hadassah.
Services were held at Rosehill Cemetery, 5800 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, Ill., 60660 on Sunday, Sept. 10 at 10 am. A memorial service was held at Temple Emanu-El of Atlanta, 1680 Spaulding Drive, Sandy Springs, Georgia 30350, Sept. 13 at 10 a.m. Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, Atlanta, GA 770-451-4999.