Meet Your Neighbor Nancy Stevenson of rural Gladstone. Nancy was born in Burlington, Iowa, to Harold and Pauline Sandy of Keithsburg. They later moved to Gladstone where Nancy grew up and graduated, as salutatorian, from G & O High School in 1955.
The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
By Susan Galbraith, Quill Staff
Meet Your Neighbor Nancy Stevenson of rural Gladstone. Nancy was born in Burlington, Iowa, to Harold and Pauline Sandy of Keithsburg. They later moved to Gladstone where Nancy grew up and graduated, as salutatorian, from G & O High School in 1955.
She later took classes at Southeastern Community College in West Burlington, Iowa.
Nancy recalls her favorite teacher was Miss Nail, who taught typing and bookkeeping at G & O High School. "Miss Nail was only 5 years older than the students, so she ran around with us, but in class we sure knew that she was the teacher." Nancy continues to keep in touch with her.
She married Bill Stevenson on October 20, 1956 at the Gladstone United Methodist Church. She and Bill shared nearly 50 years together before he passed away in January of 2006.
To their union were born two children, Todd (Pam) and Lisa (Jeff) Miller. Todd and Pam reside in Stronghurst with their son, Nicholas, and Lisa and Jeff live in Gladstone with their children Jeremy and Anna.
Her first employment was at McKesson-Robbins Drug Company in Burlington, Iowa, where her starting wage was $1 an hour. After that she was a stay at home mom for 12 years before working at the Henderson County Health Department and later director of the HendCo Housing Authority. She retired in 2006.
She has one brother Larry and a sister, Becky.
Nancy has been active in many volunteer roles from Girl Scout leader to Sunday school teacher to church board member at the Gladstone United Methodist Church where she is a member.
She is a member of the Go-Go Gals Red Hat Society of Henderson County and is a board member of Oak Lake Nursing and Rehab in Stronghurst.
Her passion is wheat weaving. Nancy started wheat weaving over 25 years ago, in 1979, when she took her first class. She designs beautiful creations such as dolls, ornaments, and jewelry. Before beginning one of her creations she soaks the wheat in water to soften it in order to weave.
She is a member of both the state and national wheat weaver associations and has shown and sold her creations at special fairs and events.
However, what Nancy enjoys most is spending time with her family and friends.