Margaret Ann Craig was born December 6, 1936 in New York City, NY, the first child of Robert D. and Mary Gertrude Reilly. She passed away from acute respiratory failure May 24, 2013, in her home surrounded by her family.

Her name was Margaret Mary Ann Gertrude Marvel Reilly Craig … but her friends called her Nancy. And oh my, the friends she had. Nancy could start up a friendship anytime, anywhere, and cultivate the friendship over decades and across miles. Nancy regularly corresponded with her high school and college girlfriends in Texas and Illinois, and nurtured local friendships of 30 plus years. Bernadine, Betty, Bev, Brenda, Gerri, Jenifer, Judith, Julie, Mary Kay, Peggy, and all her TOPS and Friday lunch friends, she loved you, like sisters. Thank you for the joy you brought to her throughout her life.

Life presented Nancy with many physical challenges. At age 8, she contracted polio. When she was finally released from the hospital after months of isolation she was paralyzed on the left side of her body. Her father worked with her, exercising her legs and arms on the dining room table, until she regained her ability to walk and nearly 100% of functionality. Later in life, echoes of the polio returned in the form of post-polio syndrome, again robbing Nancy of her strength and endurance. But again, she persevered. Polio, post-polio, and cancer each took a considerable toll, but she adapted and she moved on. It was this strength that drew so many people to her – this strength that was so admired by young and old.

Nancy was six years old when the US entered World War II and her family moved to Fort Hamilton, NY. Nancy and her brother, Tom, contributed to the war effort by helping teach soldiers how to swim. The family moved to San Antonio, Texas after her father was deployed overseas.

Nancy graduated from Ursuline Academy and attended the University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio. She transferred to the University of Illinois to complete her B.S. in Home Economics. She earned her M.S. in Institutional Management from Oregon State University.

While an undergraduate at Illinois, Nancy asked Richard 'Dick' Craig to the spring formal. They were married the next year and celebrated 51 years together before his death in 2009.

In the early years of their marriage, Nancy worked as a hospital dietician to support the family while Dick completed his PhD. But Nancy was first and foremost a wife and mother. She was active in her daughters' lives – from shuttling us to and cheering us on at sports events, leading our Camp Fire Girls groups, and supporting us as school room mother, through being our friend and confidant as we matured, married and had children of our own. Nancy loved being Grandma Duck to her 10 grandchildren and was adopted by many of their friends as an honorary grandmother. Nancy was so very proud of her husband, children, and grandchildren and their accomplishments in work, school, and sports.

Nancy is survived by her daughters Cathy Art Schultz of Powell, OH, Penny Greg Berlin of Richland, Dawn Karl Lum of Seattle, and Robin Steve Perez of Richland and her grandchildren Evan Cassie, Jane Josh, Katy Chase, Maggie, Kara, Jenna, Hayley, Rick, John, and Jillian. Nancy was delighted to welcome great granddaughter, Amelia, in January and was excited to meet two additional great grandchildren, Townes and Fiona, this summer. Nancy is also survived by her sisters-in-law Pat Reilly and Kathy Smith, many nieces and nephews, and the members of the Gonzaga University branch of the Grandma Duck Fan Club. Nancy was preceded in death by her husband, father, mother and brother.

Memorial mass will be held at Christ the King Church in Richland on Friday, June 21, 2013 at 11:00 am. Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens followed by a reception in the gathering space at the church. Recitation of the Rosary will be at Einan's Funeral Home, Thursday, June 20, at 5:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Nancy's name to the Northwest Sarcoma Foundation, PO Box 01460 Portland, OR 97291; Pet Partners Therapy Dogs, 875 124th Ave #101 Bellevue, WA 98005; Delta Society, or a charity of your choice.