Nancy Mary Stanke, 73, of Winchester, Wisconsin, passed away after a brief illness on July 10th, 2015 surrounded by her family in the comfort of her home. Nancy was born December 31, 1941 in Appleton, Wisconsin, the daughter of the late Lauren and Rosetta Bowens. Nancy graduated from Antigo High School in 1961. She married her true love and life-long companion Richard on May 18, 1963. She retired from SCA Tissue after far too many years of work in 2002.

An altruistic mother of three and grandmother of four, she lived a life of compassion and selflessness. She was the heart of the family, making certain that everyone was happy, healthy, and over-fed. Nancy was feisty, stubborn, and loving to the end. Her strength was immeasurable, and her strong family is her crowning achievement and an ever-lasting mark of the love she radiated to the world. As the unwavering embodiment of a devoted grandmother, she could always be found in the stands at a lacrosse game or weathering the dust of a baseball field. In addition, she very much enjoyed gambling with her husband's money, playing cribbage with her family, spending many long evenings outside on her deck, and reminding everyone to "Keep your hands off the dice box".

She is survived by her husband, Richard Stanke; her three treasured children, Michael (Stacy) Stanke, Illinois; Jackie (John) Bell, Texas; and Vicky Stanke, Madison; her four precious grandchildren: Gunnar, Chase, Robbie, and Ryne; and two loyal sisters Joanne Derfus, and Dianne Bowens.

Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, Lauren and Rosetta Bowens; her two sisters, Donna Aldrich and Carol Bezotte, and her brother, Jerry Bowens.

Nancy was truly blessed to receive so many kind words of encouragement and support from friends and family during her journey. She felt extraordinarily fortunate to hear from all of those she held beloved as her time grew short. The family would like to extend their gratitude to the Affinity Hospice team for the kindhearted care that Nancy received, and they are forever indebt due to their compassion.

Visitation will be held at St. Mary Catholic Church, 210 Pleasant Dr., Winneconne, on Tuesday, July 14, 2015. From 9:00 a.m. until the time of the Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. Nancy will be laid to rest in Winneconne Cemetery.