Nancy Lee Nyland Markley, or Georgia, as she was known by her close family, passed away peacefully on February 7th after 87 years of life. She was a force to be remembered. A single mother to Jan, Beth, and Paul, "Georgia" to seven grandchildren, great-"Georgia" to two great-granddaughters, Aunt Nancy to eight nieces, nephews, their wives and children, and friend to many who knew her well and loved her.

Nancy grew up in Decatur, Georgia, the youngest of four. She was a cheerleader and member of a sorority in high school and maintained friendships with the group for many years.

She became the first female food broker in the state of Georgia with G.B. Sawyer Company. She then spent over 20 years as a broker with Cohen Foods before retiring at the age of 80. Nancy was passionate about her career and formed many connections. After retirement, Nancy stayed busy by volunteering at nursing homes and hospitals working closely with patients with Alzheimer's.

Nancy was the matriarch to a large family. She pioneered many traditions, from passing down generational recipes for delicious cookies, pies and more, to making her famous egg pancakes Christmas Eve morning, to hosting an annual extended family Christmas party and making sure everyone made it to the beach together once a year. We may have lost her physical presence, but we will always have the togetherness she instilled in our family unit long ago.

To know her was to love her. Nancy's laugh was infectious and could be heard across any room. With her red lipstick, a cigarette, and a glass of red wine, Nancy was always in the middle – the absolute life of every room and party. We will miss her.

In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network at Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis ( dian.wustl.edu ) or the American Cancer Society.

No funeral services are planned. The family will be celebrating her life on their annual beach trip this year per her wishes.