Nancy Ann Ulmer, 96 , passed away peacefully on July 14, 2024 at La Posada in Green Valley, Arizona.

Nancy was born in Jefferson City, Missouri on December 7th, 1927. She was born the first child of Andrew Schwerdtfeger and Luvina Oldfield Schwerdtfeger. By the age of 16, Nancy had lost both of her parents but she was guided by a very kind step-mother, Minnie Spaunhorst Schwerdtfeger.

Nancy attended Central Methodist University in Fayette, Missouri and moved to St Louis, where she worked at Monsanto Chemical Company as an executive secretary. In 1953, she met David Ulmer, a medical school student at Washington University In St Louis. After David's graduation in 1954, they married and enjoyed 70 years of marriage.

David did a brief stint in the U.S. Army in 1956 in Fort Knox, Kentucky and they had their first child, Jeffrey, in 1957. They have a photograph of themselves, with baby in tow, drinking mint juleps at the Kentucky Derby in 1958.

The couple then moved to Brookline, Massachusetts in 1959 where David did his medical school residency and Nancy had their second child, Susan, born in 1960. They eventually moved to the suburbs of Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Nancy and David traveled the world owing to David's career. In 1972, they moved from Massachusetts to Los Angeles where David headed the department of medicine at Martin Luther King Jr County Hospital while Nancy raised the children and their beloved golden mutt Lix. In 1985, Nancy and David moved to Karachi, Pakistan  where David served as the Dean of the Aga Khan University and medical director of the Aga Khan Hospital while Nancy volunteered in the Aga Khan University gift shop. It was at this time they enjoyed meeting many dignitaries and traveled the world.

In 1990, the Ulmers returned to the states, settled in Green Valley, Arizona and enjoyed many years of golf, bridge, travel, and social events with their large circle of friends.

Nancy was friendly, curious, and quick in forming new friendships. She had an amazing ability to remember names of everyone she met. She was funny and biting, if you were on the right side of her jokes. She was amazingly empathetic, straightforward, and loyal to her family.

She is survived by her beloved husband of 70 years, David, and her children Jeffrey ( Laurie), Susan (Robert), and her 4 grandchildren Christopher ( Alexa), Alexander (Amanda), Emily, and Nicholas, her sister-in-law Marilyn Sorenson,  beloved nieces and nephews, and many extended family members.

Nancy was predeceased by her parents Andrew Schwerdtfeger and Luvina Oldfield Schwerdtfeger, step-mother Minnie Spaunhorst Schwerdtfeger, brother James Schwerdtfeger, and step- brother, Louis Spaunhorst.

A celebration of life is planned for a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society (https://donate.cancer.org) or the Foundation Fighting Blindness (https://www.fightingblindness.org)