Once upon a time in second grade at South School, I was asked by the teacher to "help" other students with some spelling words. If they had a question they were to ask me, and I was to "help" them. ( The blind leading the blind!) I remember one particular day that Nancy Offenhauser came to me to ask what the word "vocabulary" was. It took me a minute to "sound it out" myself, but I got it in the nick of time, and so I thought myself pretty clever to have helped her. That was the first, last, and only time that I felt her intellectual equal.
Later, in the 'late '90's and early '00's I made a weekly commute to a second home I had in upstate NY. I drove past a large white house in a town along the way twice a week. The sign out front said Dr. Nancy Offenhauser Chiropractor. I always meant to stop, but never did, as I was eager to get to one end or the other of my trip's destinations. I wish I had, because the first time I went by and the sign had been taken down I was sorry to have missed her. I thought her lucky to have retired, but unfortunately that was not the case. I think of her every time I go through that town, annually now rather than weekly, and remember fondly the one day ,that for a fleeting second, I felt smarter than she .
I thought of Nancy as kind of a bookworm and off the wall brilliant, but didn't know her well until our class did the play "The Mouse that Roared" and I was asked to do the writeups of everyone acting or helping with the play, along with Nancy. When the two of us got together to write, I found out how clever and witty she was and really had a great time putting the write-ups together! I'll bet somebody has an old playbill of that somewhere. Maybe even I do! Remember how we all wrote in each others' just like in yearbooks? Would be fun to bring some to the Reunion. Sorry Nancy won't be there as she was a creative and brilliant person.
Nancy was brilliant! And to this day, I don't know how she and I were in geometry and french class together. The good news was that she and I had been friends since 6th grade and when she saw that I was disappointed with my test scores she would offer to help me after class. She always made sense of things. Her smile and soft spoken demeanor made you feel comfortable knowing your lack of understanding would soon see the light! Visiting her home was a special treat. It had an incredible collection of books, art and musical instruments...a very comfortable and interesting home. It was obvious her parents had introduced her to so many aspects of life all of which she took in stride, absorbing everything. At our 20 year class reunion, we spoke at length. She was still intent on listening to my story, offering witty comment and laughter. And although she was my age in years, it became apparent to me then and there that she had always been an "old soul"...wise beyond her years, true to her convictions and always possessing an open mind. She was truly a special person.
Nancy had one of the most amazing minds. She seemed to know so much about so much! Since my maternal side of the family spoke German, I became fascinated by her name ~ "Offen" as open or frank, "hausen" as house-related or a block of houses ~ and the way it served as a metaphor for her profound memory. Nancy was truly open to learning and always willing to share insights. And she so loved to sing.
Lauren Holt
Once upon a time in second grade at South School, I was asked by the teacher to "help" other students with some spelling words. If they had a question they were to ask me, and I was to "help" them. ( The blind leading the blind!) I remember one particular day that Nancy Offenhauser came to me to ask what the word "vocabulary" was. It took me a minute to "sound it out" myself, but I got it in the nick of time, and so I thought myself pretty clever to have helped her. That was the first, last, and only time that I felt her intellectual equal.
Later, in the 'late '90's and early '00's I made a weekly commute to a second home I had in upstate NY. I drove past a large white house in a town along the way twice a week. The sign out front said Dr. Nancy Offenhauser Chiropractor. I always meant to stop, but never did, as I was eager to get to one end or the other of my trip's destinations. I wish I had, because the first time I went by and the sign had been taken down I was sorry to have missed her. I thought her lucky to have retired, but unfortunately that was not the case. I think of her every time I go through that town, annually now rather than weekly, and remember fondly the one day ,that for a fleeting second, I felt smarter than she .
Melinda Nield (Irvine)
I thought of Nancy as kind of a bookworm and off the wall brilliant, but didn't know her well until our class did the play "The Mouse that Roared" and I was asked to do the writeups of everyone acting or helping with the play, along with Nancy. When the two of us got together to write, I found out how clever and witty she was and really had a great time putting the write-ups together! I'll bet somebody has an old playbill of that somewhere. Maybe even I do! Remember how we all wrote in each others' just like in yearbooks? Would be fun to bring some to the Reunion. Sorry Nancy won't be there as she was a creative and brilliant person.
Mark Rearick
Lauren - I have a somewhat vague recollection of Nancy being at Center School, am I just "misremembering" or is it official ... I AM shot ??
Susan Soltis (Fixary)
Nancy was brilliant! And to this day, I don't know how she and I were in geometry and french class together. The good news was that she and I had been friends since 6th grade and when she saw that I was disappointed with my test scores she would offer to help me after class. She always made sense of things. Her smile and soft spoken demeanor made you feel comfortable knowing your lack of understanding would soon see the light! Visiting her home was a special treat. It had an incredible collection of books, art and musical instruments...a very comfortable and interesting home. It was obvious her parents had introduced her to so many aspects of life all of which she took in stride, absorbing everything. At our 20 year class reunion, we spoke at length. She was still intent on listening to my story, offering witty comment and laughter. And although she was my age in years, it became apparent to me then and there that she had always been an "old soul"...wise beyond her years, true to her convictions and always possessing an open mind. She was truly a special person.
Ann Thurber
Nancy had one of the most amazing minds. She seemed to know so much about so much! Since my maternal side of the family spoke German, I became fascinated by her name ~ "Offen" as open or frank, "hausen" as house-related or a block of houses ~ and the way it served as a metaphor for her profound memory. Nancy was truly open to learning and always willing to share insights. And she so loved to sing.