Nancy Heflin
NANCY SUE HEFLIN
May 2, 1935 – January 8, 2017
HEFLIN, KENNETH L. (T.55; F.58) S. Iowa; 55 School; Oregon; 57 Veneta: Valley; 61 Anchor Park, Anchorage: Missionary to Alaska; 65 Hon: First, Assoc. & Missionary to Hawaii; SCA 67 (Jun 1) Hon: First, Assoc.; 69 Kailua; PSW 77; 79 (Jan) Lancaster; C-P 85; 86 Glendale: First; 93 Redlands: First; 97 R’d (¶355.2c); 97 (Nov 30) (Temple City: First); 98 (Mar) R’d; 99 (Mar) (Lancaster); 99 R’d; 02 (Pasadena: Holliston-75%); 03 R’d; 11 (Jan 1-Jan 31) La Canada, Interim Pastor; 11 (Feb 1) R’d
Devoted wife, mother and grandmother, Nancy was born in Iowa, during the Great Depression. Due to family circumstances, Nancy was placed in foster care. In 1939, Nancy was adopted by Ernest and Maxine Mortensen, a farm couple near Moorhead, Iowa.
Nancy graduated valedictorian and attended what is now University of Northern Iowa. There she met Ken Heflin (STH’57). They were married on August 14, 1955 and began married life at 17 Yarmouth Street in Boston. Ken was a student at the School of Theology and Nancy taught at Charles River School.
They moved to Oregon, establishing a new Methodist Church. In 1961 they were commissioned missionaries. In Anchorage, she taught Sunday School and directed the children’s choir. During the great Alaska earthquake, she gathered her children “under her wing.” In Hawaii, Nancy taught preschool and, for eight years, was Media Assistant at Castle High School in Kaneohe. She loved hosting church groups in the parsonage. She established a young adult group at Kailua UMC called “Nancy’s Thursday’s Children.”
At Lancaster UMC the Heflins started organizing tour groups, leading over 30 tours. At Glendale: First, Nancy served as UMW Vice-President and President, and made her only pulpit appearance on a UMW Sunday at Redlands: First.
Nancy believed the best about people, and her love knew no bounds. But her greatest joy was being with her family.
On December 29, 2016, tests revealed stage 4 cancer. Because of her deep faith and trust in God’s goodness, Nancy made the decision to request Hospice care. Ten days later she died peacefully at home with family members surrounding her.
Nancy is survived by her husband of 61½ years; one daughter, Elizabeth Snider (Ron); three sons: Travis Heflin (Anne); Mark Heflin (Sherry); and Gregory Heflin; plus seven grandchildren: Sara (Michael), Ryan, Josh, Aaron, James, Kelsey, and Brandt.
-Rev. Ken Heflin and family