Nancy Jo Strader

Nancy Jo Strader, 82, of Lillian, Alabama, peacefully made her way to her heavenly home on November 13, surrounded by love, laughter, and probably a gentle eye-roll at one of Robert’s comments. Her husband of 18 years, Robert Strader, and her niece, Sindi Baugh, were by her side, as she left this world in true Nancy Jo style—calm, graceful, and with her signature touch of sass. 

Born on September 10, 1942, in Charlotte, NC, Nancy Jo entered the world as the youngest of Lonnie Ray and Bessie Simpson Davis’s 13 children—yes, 13! She proudly wore her title as the baby of the bunch and outlived her siblings by two decades, which is no surprise given her small stature and firecracker character. Her brothers and sisters—Betty, Margaret, Pauline, Lorraine, Rose, Jerry, Peggy, Bill, Harry, Ray, Sonny, and Fred—may have paved the way, but Nancy Jo held the torch and kept the family legacy alive with her wit, charm, and unwavering love for her nieces and nephews, who were more like siblings.

Nancy Jo graduated from Garinger High School in 1961 and soon took on her most cherished role: being a mom. She raised two sons by herself, Tony Nazal (Tamara) of Garner, NC, and Tim Nazal (Sandra) of New York, NY. Though Tim passed in 2022, his memory remained a constant source of joy and pride for Nancy Jo. Her family expanded with four amazing grandchildren—Harrison Nazal (MacKenzie), Zachary Woodring, Alexandria San Miguel (Aaron), and Mckinsey Nazal—and eight great-grandchildren who brought her endless delight and, let’s be honest, probably kept her young at heart.

A working mom before it was a celebrated badge of honor, Nancy Jo juggled life with remarkable grace. She spent over 15 years at Dillard Paper Co. while raising her boys in Greensboro, NC, and later transitioned to medical administration at Piedmont Orthopedics for over 10 years. Retirement, however, was not her thing. She worked at Dr. Pace’s office in Lillian until she finally decided, at the spry age of 77, that maybe it was time to rest a bit—or at least cook more for the ones she loved.

Nancy Jo’s life was defined by her warmth, her humor, and her legendary cooking. If you left her house hungry, it was your own fault. She loved deeply, laughed often, and made everyone feel like family, whether you were born into it or not. Her love of life was contagious, her hugs were healing, and her wit could brighten even the darkest of days.

Nancy Jo, or Nannie as she was lovingly called, leaves behind a legacy of love, resilience, and one-of-a-kind family recipes that will forever be cherished. She was a beautiful lady with an even more beautiful soul, and while her presence will be deeply missed, her spirit will live on in the laughter, love, and ugly biscuits she taught us to embrace.

Rest easy, Nancy Jo—you’ve earned it.

A celebration of life service will be held on December 4th, at 10:00am from the Chapel of Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Home, Lillian.

ARRANGEMENTS BY

WOLFE-BAYVIEW

FUNERAL HOMES

& CREMATORY, INC.

34463 HWY 98, BLDG. A

LILLIAN, AL 36549

www.wolfefuneralhomes.com