Nancy Ellen (Donham) Gossner

Nancy E. (Donham) Gossner, age 79, of Battle Creek, Michigan, passed away Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at Rose Arbor Hospice in Kalamazoo after a long battle with cancer. She was born February 3, 1941 in Charlotte, Michigan to Loren (Bud) and Ellen (Bruch) Donham. Nancy grew up in Battle Creek, Michigan, graduating from Battle Creek Central High School in 1959. She left Battle Creek to live and work in Minneapolis and Chicago, where she met her husband John J. Gossner. They married and lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania until 1966 when she returned to Battle Creek. They were divorced in 1981. Nancy would later return to school at Kellogg Community College earning a degree as a Licensed Practical Nurse, while raising three children. She worked at Lakeview General Hospital in Battle Creek until its closure. Nancy then switched careers to spend several years working in mortgage underwriting for Comerica and National City Banks and ended her career working at the Allen Harmon Insurance Agency, until her retirement in 2006.

She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church since 1966, where she spent many years as a member of the Altar Society and later volunteering in the Rectory. Her love of dogs lead her to spend many hours making blankets for the animals at the Humane Society of South Central Michigan for many years. The entire family knew not to throw a comforter away because it could make multiple dog beds. She was grateful for her large circle of friends, many of whom she had since childhood and with whom she enjoyed vacations, outings and bunco. Her greatest source of pride and accomplishment was found in her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who she bragged about to anyone who would listen.

She was proceeded in death by her parents and a sister Alice Hallack. She is survived by her daughters, Anne Marie Wickham of Portage, Michigan, Bernadette (Rick) Johnson of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and son John M. (Peggy) Gossner of Battle Creek. Also surviving are three grandsons, five step-grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, her sister in law, Joan Homka, of Bensalem, Pennsylvania and many nieces and nephews.

Friends will be received 5:00-7:00 p.m. Sunday, October 11, 2020 at Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church by Rev. Maximilian Nightingale 11:00 a.m. Monday, October 12, 2020. Committal and interment will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to West Michigan Cancer Center, 200 N. Park Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 or to the Humane Society of South Central Michigan, 2500 Watkins Road, Battle Creek, MI 49015. Personal messages for the family may be placed here at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.