Nancy Ellen Stratman Smith of Dubuque, IA, formerly of Bloomington, IL, was born in Dodgeville, WI on December 3, 1945, to Joseph and Blanche (Kirkpatrick) Stratman. She resided in Mineral Point, WI surrounded by grandmothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family. Her love for Mineral Point continued throughout her life. She enjoyed visiting whenever she had a chance. She graduated from Mineral Point High School in 1964 and then attended University of Wisconsin – Platteville where she studied English. She married the love of her life on March 16, 1968. She passed away on October 27, 2025, at 2:01 p.m. surrounded by family.

Nancy met the love of their life, Roger Smith, during her first semester at Platteville in 1964. In the beginning of their relationship, she would “happen” to be at the same place as he was so they could walk back to the dorms together. She claimed they were in a relationship for a couple of months before he realized they were “an item.” Roger and Nancy were married on March 16, 1968 after four years of courtship. Nancy typed Roger’s papers for him while they were in college, and they had been together so long the professors would return his papers to him even when Nancy put her own name on the paper.

The first few years of their marriage was spent with Roger serving in the U.S. Air Force. Their first home was in Dearborn, OH before getting orders for Japan. Moving to a foreign country was a huge change for a girl from Mineral Point who had never been out of the state of Wisconsin! Nancy was employed as a preschool teacher in Japan and enjoyed the beautiful culture and food. Roger and Nancy met lifelong friends while stationed in Japan.

Roger was sent to Thailand in 1972, which was during Nancy’s pregnancy with their first child. Nancy moved back to Wisconsin to be closer to her parents. Their daughter, Jennifer, was born in 1973. Their son Joel was born in 1975 while they were stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base in Knobnoster, MO. Roger moved to reserve status in the Air Force in 1976 and the family moved to Kansas City, KS. Nancy became a preschool teacher, first at Grandview Methodist Church and then at Eisenhower Recreation Center. She was a beloved teacher, and the career gave her the same schedule as her children. Nancy spent summers taking her children and their friends to the movies, to the park, and to the swimming pool daily. Of course, she always made sure chores were done before they were able to play in the afternoon.

The family moved to Bloomington, IL in 1984. Nancy wanted to make sure her children were able to adjust to the new city, so she did not get a job outside the home. However, after about six months during which she baked cookies, cakes, or pies every day, Roger said she needed to find employment because he could not eat everything she was baking. Nancy worked retail for a few years. She then became a Weight Watchers Leader after losing 80 pounds on the program. Nancy was very successful as a leader, earning district awards for helping the most people reach their goal several times. She even won a trip to New York City to attend a gala at the Waldorf Astoria in 1988 because of her success.

After Joel graduated from high school, Nancy decided to start a new career and began working as a resident assistant at a domestic violence shelter and was a volunteer at a crisis line answering phone calls. A position as the phone room coordinator opened at the crisis line, and the director approached her about the position. Nancy took that position and was responsible for staffing a 24-hour, 365 day a year crisis line with volunteers. She was also responsible for interviewing and training volunteers. People told her it was not possible to staff an all-volunteer crisis line, even though she was always able to do so. She retired from the crisis line after 15 years.

In 2017, Roger and Nancy decided they should move closer to one of their children, who had both moved out of Bloomington. They decided to move to Dubuque, IA where their daughter was living. Nancy told her children in July that they thought they should move, and they spent their first night in their new home on Christmas Eve. Nancy loved Dubuque, saying it was the best kept secret, and she saved the best place for last.

Nancy was a huge animal lover and always had a pet. As a child she tamed a wild rabbit, and had several dogs, before she first became a dachshund owner. She has had several dachshunds through the years, and several other dogs over the age of 8 as rescues. She passed on her love of animals, in particular dachshunds, to her children who each own one or two. Nancy loved to spoil her pets, and each had a special place in her heart. All her pets are members of the family.

Nancy was also a serious bridge player, which she learned from her mother.

Nancy’s greatest joy was being a wife and mother. The well-being of her family was the top priority. She always wanted her family to know she loved them completely. While raising her children, she wanted them to feel comfortable pursuing all interests, and for them to know they could bring friends back to the house. She laughed that there were evenings the bedroom floor would be vibrating due to the loud music being played downstairs. Her children always knew they could depend on their mother and even volunteering her to chaperone trips without asking her first. Nancy was even a T-ball coach for Joel, even though she did not know the sport at all.

Next to being a mother, being a grandmother was the greatest honor of her life. The birth of her grandson Caiden in 2005 brought incredible joy. She was always thinking of what she could do to spoil her grandson and make sure he felt special. She was so proud to watch him become the incredible young man he is today. She was excited to have him in the area this last summer and was able to spend several weekends with him. Her granddaughter Lexi was born in 2010 and just increased her joy. Nancy wanted to encourage Lexi to pursue any dreams she may have and was always trying to find ways to help Lexi pursue those dreams. She was so proud of both her grandchildren.

Nancy will always be known for having kind words and her cooking. It was not unusual for her to meet someone in a store and end up talking to them for an hour getting their life story. She hated people to be alone and started a Christmas Dinner at church for those who would be alone on Christmas.

Nancy showed how much she cared for people through her cooking. She loved to make sure people were well fed with their favorite foods. A family friend, Robin, once told Nancy her cooking was her ministry. Nancy was always willing to cook a meal for someone who needed a helping hand. She would plan for weeks in preparation for her turn at Hospitality, always trying to come up with something new to make church members happy.

Nancy is survived by her husband Roger, Daughter Jennifer Smith (John Kielty) of Dubuque, Son Joel Smith of Erie, CO; Grandchildren Caiden Smith of Lincoln, NE and Lexi Smith of Erie, CO; Sister Jana (Orlyn) Edge of Normal, IL; Sister-By-Choice Gini (Lindel) Hunt of Bloomington, IL; and several nieces and nephews.

Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, in-laws Lowell and Ruth Smith, and brothers-in-law Gary Smith and Clarence Herrmann.

Visitation will be held Friday, November 7, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Grand View Methodist Church, 3342 John Wesley Dr, Dubuque, IA. Funeral Service will be at 11:00 a.m. at Grand View with a lunch to follow. Private burial will occur on Saturday in Mineral Point, WI.

Memorials to Grand View Methodist Church.

Thank You to the nurses, staff and doctors at Grand River Medical Group and Finley Hospital.

Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, Dubuque, IA is assisting the family.