On June 16, Heaven gained an awesome angel when Nancy Joyce (Humphreys) Lanfrankie passed away peacefully in her sleep. She spent 80 years serving humanity and living the Golden Rule as well as the Girl Scout motto, “Leave a place better than you found it.” She certainly did.
Nancy was born on Jan. 23, 1935 in Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of Fred and Ruth (Grubbs) Humphreys. She grew up living in awe of her “perfect brother,” BJ, while spending many summers in Clinton, Kentucky, a little town filled with all her Grubbs cousins. Later, she would recount stories about the wild times she spent in and around Spring Hill. At 21, she married Henry Lanfrankie, and promptly learned how to cook Italian food from her mother-in-law, while having four children in Michigan and then one more in California. In 1971, she gathered up her courage and her children and returned to Michigan. She went to work at the phone company, spending over 30 years as a customer service rep for Ameritech, or “Ma Bell,” as she called it. She loved living on Louise Street in Fraser surrounded by supportive neighbors like Gary and Judy Gogola and watching her grandchildren play on “the hill” and sail through the air on the tire swing. She moved to St. Johns, Michigan, in 2001 after her mom passed away and quickly made herself part of this special community.
She loved John Wayne, elephants, anything from the American Southwest (especially Kokopelli), tea, Bald Eagles, catalogs, quilts, American history, Native Americans, the cottage, right turns, Michigan Red Haven peaches, Harry Belafonte, Pink Floyd and Elvis Presley, Birds of Paradise and snapdragons. She was a fabulous cook, a wonderful writer, and she could recite “The Cremation of Sam Magee” so well that you felt cold all the way to your bones. She had a sharp wit, a quiet sense of humor and a wise old soul. She always had cold feet. She was really, really smart. She was a true patriot; if one of her children asked her what nationality our family was, she always replied, “You are an American.” By far, her greatest passion was her family, and she spent many a “Big Fun”on Point Lookout in Au Gres smiling from the comfort of a lawn chair while she watched her children, grandchildren, and nieces and nephews frolic in Lake Huron. She smiled because she knew, watching them all, that her legacy would live on.
Over the years, she served in many volunteer roles, including working with Oakland County Family Services teaching young mothers about childbirth and breastfeeding, people watching as a greeter at the airport, staffing the Baby Pantry, sharing pioneer stories as a docent at the history museum, and serving the community of St. Johns in the Lioness Club.
Her loving, strong and stubborn spirit is carried on in her living descendants and family including five children, 12 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and one brother.These include: her son, Joseph Lanfrankie of Round Rock, TX, and his daughter, Amelia Lanfrankie of San Francisco, CA; her son, James Lanfrankie of Lennon, MI, his wife, Cathy, and Jim’s children, Andrew DelFavero of Ashburn, VA, Benjamin Lanfrankie of Washington, D.C., and Livia Lanfrankie of Ashburn, VA; her daughter, Cynthia “Cece” Hartzell of Naperville, IL, her husband, Eric Decker, and Cyndi’s children, Megan Anders of Lake Villa, IL, her husband, Matthew Anders, and their children, Mary and Rory; her son, Matthew Lanfrankie of Saukville, WI, and his sons, Kyle Lanfrankie of Saukville, WI and Trevor Lanfrankie of Prescott, AZ and their mother, Dena Lanfrankie; and “Little Daughter” Mary Lanfrankie Curtis of Anamosa, IA, her husband, Michael, and their daughters, Dominica Rehbein, her husband, Matt, and their two other daughters, Alexandra and Kathleen Curtis. She shared many engaging stories, memories and Southern food with her big brother, BJ Humphreys of Saginaw, MI, whom she loved, admired and respected. BJ and his wife, Laura, made many wonderful things possible for Nancy and her children for which they have always been grateful.Nancy’s dad passed away in 1962 and her mom in 2001, but Nancy always felt they lived on in her family and the traditions they established.
You can visit with Nancy’s family at the following times: Fri., June 19 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Keck Coleman Funeral Home, St. Johns, MI, and Sat., June 20 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the First Congregational Church, St. Johns, MI. You can celebrate Nancy’s life during a memorial service at 11 a.m. on Sat., June 20 at the congregational church.
Nancy lived her life in service to others and always believed in giving back. If you’d like to support her passions, you can make a donation to any of the following in Nancy’s name:
The Wounded Warrior Project, 4899 Belfort Road, Ste. 30, Jacksonville, FL 32256
The Elephant Sanctuary, 27 East Main Street, Hohenwald, TN 38462
St. Johns Lioness Club, PO Box 454, St. Johns, MI 48879

Provide comfort for the family by planting a tree in memory of Nancy J. Lanfrankie, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.