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VISALIA, CA – Nancy Catherine Taylor Lane of Visalia, CA passed away on August 21, 2020 at Prestige Assisted Living in Visalia. She was born on August 19, 1935 in Como, NC to William Thomas Taylor, Jr. and Cora Newsome Taylor.

The second of 10 children, Nancy first attended a small rural school in Como, then nearby Murfreesboro Elementary and High School. She graduated from Murfreesboro High School in 1953, played basketball for 4 years with a “wicked hook shot”, was in the Beta Club, and graduated as Class Salutatorian.

After high school, Nancy achieved an AS in Business Administration from Chowan College, also in Murfreesboro. At Chowan, she was class treasurer and a Class Marshall her freshman year, editor-in-chief of the yearbook and in the Monogram Club (softball) her sophomore year. She was also a cheerleader and a member of Young Women’s Association both years.

Nancy continued her education at East Carolina College (now University), graduating in 1957 with a BS in Business Education. While at ECC she was a member of the Future Business Leaders of America. In addition, Nancy earned life teaching credentials in her field.

After college graduation, Nancy married Robert (Bob) William Lane from Yreka, CA whom she had met while he was stationed near Como with the U. S. Air Force. As a young bride, Nancy started her teaching career as a high school teacher, first in Deep Creek, VA teaching business English, typing and shorthand. While Bob furthered his education and career, they moved to Pennsylvania, then Massachusetts, and eventually settled in Sunnyvale/Cupertino, CA.

Nancy became a fulltime devoted mom. She and Bob raised three children. She was busy helping in school classrooms, with Boy and Girl Scouts, as well as her children’s practices and games in track, baseball, softball and AYSO soccer. She also did substitute teaching and taught adult education classes. While in the Bay Area, she began her lifelong support of the Cystic Fibrosis Research Inc. with volunteer work for the Mother’s Day Tea fundraising.

In 1977, they left the Bay Area and moved to Redding, CA. Once in Redding, Nancy resumed, first part-time, then a full-time teaching career at Anderson High School. She also taught part-time at Shasta Junior College. She was a devoted and caring teacher, always looking for something new to teach. When computers became an important part of business, she took courses and qualified to teach keyboarding, basic computer skills and applications such as word processing. She was a member of Computer Users Educators, California Business Education Association, and California Teachers Association. Throughout these years she remained active in the American Association of University Women and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

In 1998, Nancy retired and moved to Visalia, California to be close to her daughter Judy and grandson Kirby. Throughout her life, she was outgoing and friendly. She loved to dance, to brag about her children and grandchildren, and baseball (especially the SF Giants). She loved the beaches on both coasts. She had many friends. She was a voracious reader and enjoyed historical novels. Her favorite author was NC author Englis Fletcher.

In Visalia, she continued to be active in AAUW and joined Charter Oak Lions Club. She was a member of the Woodland Baptist Church. She tutored students and sometimes worked at the polls on voting day. She enjoyed traveling to see her long-time friends throughout California, and went “back East” every year to her beloved North Carolina to visit her large extended family, spend some time at her favorite beaches, and attend her high school class reunions in Murfreesboro.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, William Thomas (Tommy) Taylor, III; sisters, Miriam Frances Taylor and Marjorie Taylor Way; granddaughter, Katrina Dagny Haroldson; and former husband, Robert William Lane.

She is survived by her son, Bill (Linda) Lane in Sacramento, CA, and daughters, Judy (Adam) Ransberger in Visalia and Susan (Dave) Hoffman in Danville, CA; and grandchildren, Kirby, Annika and Kaylee Ransberger, and Matthew Hoffman. She also leaves behind brothers, Kenneth (Faye), John, and Robert Taylor; sisters, Anne Brown, Carol Jewell, and Lynne (John) Fleischman; sister-in-law, Jackie Taylor; and many many nieces and nephews.

Nancy received excellent care while at Prestige Assisted Living, where she enjoyed the staff and health care workers. Her family is especially grateful for the care given once the COVID-19 guidelines prevented them from visiting her until her last days, and the special care of Kindred Hospice.

The family is planning a memorial service in Visalia at a future date.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to the Cystic Fibrosis Research, Inc. at www.cfri.org or by mail at 1731 Embarcadero Road, Suite 210, Palo Alto, California 94303, or to the Hydrocephalus Foundation located at www.hydroassoc.org or by mail to Hydrocephalus Association, Development Office, 4340 East West Highway, #905, Bethesda MD 20814-4447.

Condolences may be offered by logging onto www.salseranddillard.com.