Nancy Alice Zuercher

NANCY ALICE ZUERCHER March 30, 1931 ˜ January 22, 2026 Nancy Alice Zuercher passed away January 22, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of kindness, gratitude and love for her family and friends. Born on March 30, 1931, to Alfred and Bertha Berg in Bellevue, Washington, Nancy had two older brothers, Donald and Reginald. During the Great Depression, her family moved to Salmon River Country in central Idaho to try to make a living skim digging for gold along the Salmon River. They spent their first summer living in a dug-out covered by tarp on the side of the river. By fall, they had found a house near the river and eventually moved into the mountains to the Golden Anchor Mine (elevation 6,599 feet) where her father and brothers found work. These formative years helped shape Nancy’s approach to life. She says it was hard work and difficult at times, but “there was love and happiness by and for all of us.” During World War II after the mine shut down, the family moved to Clarkston, Washington, and Nancy graduated from Clarkston High School in 1950. On October 21 of that same year, she married the love of her life, Robert M. Zuercher, in Lewiston, Idaho. They had four children, Susan, Raymond, David and Stephen. The family moved to Eugene, Oregon, where Nancy had been offered a teaching position at Crow Applegate School. She and Robert were both teachers. When they retired, they moved back to Idaho within view of the mountains where she grew up. Nancy expressed her creativity through quilting, crafting hundreds of quilts that became treasured heirlooms and heartfelt gifts. Following her husband’s death in 2014, Nancy moved to Vancouver, WA, to be close to family, and she lived independently up until the last year of her life. She and her cat Annie lived with her youngest son, Stephen, in La Center, WA, and passed away at home surrounded by family. Nancy is survived by her sons, David and Stephen; five grandchildren, Sarah, Ryan, Christopher, Chloe and Camille; and seven great-grandchildren, Aiden, Maggie, Quinn, Raymond, Abel, Malakai and Lorelai. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Robert (2014); her daughter, Susan (2009); and her son, Raymond (2015). Nancy will be remembered for her boundless love, her curiosity and quick wit, and her gentle spirit that softened every room she entered. Her son, David writes, “She taught me the importance of compassion, patience and finding joy in the simple things. Her warmth touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing her, and her love will always be a part of us.”

Nancy Alice Zuercher

March 30, 1931 - January 22, 2026