Nancy Jo McCracken, 79, of Gering, died Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff. A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m., on Saturday, June 8, 2024, at Central Church of Christ with Pastor Lyle Hinebauch and Pastor Jake Roberts officiating. Interment will follow at West Lawn Cemetery in Gering. Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m., Friday, June 7, 2024, at Bridgman Funeral Home in Scottsbluff. Memorials may be made to the Mothers of Preschoolers International (MOPS) local chapter at Monument Bible Church in Scottsbluff or Central Church of Christ.
Nancy was born on February 2, 1945, in Wheatland, Wyoming to Richard and Betty (Mapes) Juschka. Betty later married Harold Girton and the family resided in Gering. Nancy attended Gering Public Schools and graduated from Gering High School in 1963. She later attended LPN classes at Nebraska Western College.
Nancy began working as a unit secretary at Saint Mary Hospital in 1975. She continued her career following the merger with West Nebraska General Hospital and ultimately retired after 35 years from Regional West Medical Center in 2010. She immensely enjoyed working at the hospital and made many friendships that continued well into her retirement.
Nancy married Hugh McCracken on August 30, 1963, in Gering, and to this union, two sons were born, Kevin and Sean.
Nancy enjoyed taking dance lessons in her youth and playing the saxophone in the school band. She continued to play the saxophone in the Gering City Band until failing health prevented her from doing so and she greatly missed the friendships that she made over the years. Hugh and Nancy were avid bowlers and bowled in multiple leagues at several bowling alleys in the area each week. They enjoyed traveling and visited all of the lower 48 states, as well as Canada and Mexico. She especially enjoyed traveling to Montana to visit her son Kevin and daughter-in-law Judy. Nancy greatly enjoyed being part of her class reunion committee.
She was “crafty” and loved to share her talent with children everywhere, especially for the kids in the local chapter of MOPS for almost 20 years until she was unable to continue. She was especially fond of the moments when kids and young adults would recognize her because of the time they spent with her making crafts. She will always be remembered as the “craft lady”. Hugh and Nancy both shared a need to socialize and spent many afternoons at the Gering Runza with their friends talking about the good old days until Hugh’s passing in 2017. Nancy kept the Runza tradition going until she moved to the nursing home and then Bingo, Rummikub, and jigsaw puzzles became her new social activities.
Nancy was a member of Central Church of Christ and was active in Vacation Bible School and other ministries helping with craft activities for many years.
Nancy’s passion was her grandchildren and bonus grandchildren and she rarely missed a choir concert, band concert, track event, football, basketball, soccer, baseball game, or cross-country meet. If she couldn’t be there in person, she could be found listening to the event on the radio
or watching the live stream. She would frequently stop by to check on Conner and Riley and would visit with them for hours about their most recent activities.
Survivors include sons Kevin (Judy) McCracken of Dillon, MT, and Sean (Audrey) McCracken of Scottsbluff; stepchildren grandchildren, Vince (Cheryl) Pierce of Dillon, MT, and Paula Pierce of Redmond, OR; grandchildren, Conner McCracken and Riley McCracken of Scottsbluff; bonus grandchildren, Mackenzie (Bryan) Watson-Wood and bonus great-grandchild, Amelia, of Charleston, WV, Chase Watson and special friend Matilda Preisendorf of Dallas, TX, Madison (Creighton) Miller, and bonus great-grandchild Grayson, of Lincoln, NE, Joshken Sanny of Thailand, Sheldon and Trinity Ackerman of Gering, NE; step-grandchildren, Ryan Pierce of Dillon, MT, Kimee (Eric) Tutten of Bozeman, MT, Mathiew (Hannah) Pierce of Fayetteville, NC, Sophia Pierce of Redmond, OR and Ruby Pierce of Dillon, MT; brothers Stephen (Joyce) Girton Rapid City, SD; Scott (Diane) Girton of Bend, OR; niece, April (Brian) Medina and great niece and nephew, Will and Ava of Scottsbluff, NE.
Nancy was preceded in death by her husband Hugh, mother and stepfather, Betty and Harold Girton, and father, Richard Juschka; father-in-law and stepmother, Hugh Sr. and Frances McCracken; mother-in-law, Emma Steidle.
Nancy will be greatly missed by many!