Nancy Richardson
Nancy M. Richardson, 73, of Harpers Ferry departed our earthly realm in the early morning Thursday, August 28, 2025, at Thornton Manor in Lansing after a short battle with the final stages of liver disease. A celebration of life was held Saturday, September 6 at the Harpers Ferry Community Center. Thornburg-Grau Funeral Home in Lansing handled the arrangements.
Nancy Marie Richardson was born in Waukon May 27, 1952, to Paula Valley (nee Houlihan) and Cletus Valley. She was their fifth child after brothers Roger, Ronny and Ricky, and sister Vicki Ann, followed by their sixth and last child, Shirley. She graduated from St. George High School in Lansing in 1970, followed by Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids in 1976.
In 1980, she married Jim Richardson, becoming a stepmom to Jim’s children, Kelly and Chris, and later that year, gave birth to their daughter, Sasha. Five years later, she gave birth to their son, Ben, and they moved back to Harpers Ferry after years in Buffalo, MN, where they owned a bar called Nancy’s Inn. Nancy retired from 3M in Prairie du Chien, WI, in 2015, after more than 30 years with the company, making lifelong friends in the process.
Nancy was a kind, generous, and hard-working person her entire life. She was relaxed, supportive, and loved knowing about the lives of her family and friends. She loved the Vikings, the Hawkeyes, and Harpers Ferry deeply. She had friends and family around the world, but most of her favorite friends are the dogs that she met and befriended with a never-ending supply of biscuits as she completed her daily three-mile walk around Harpers Ferry for the last couple decades of her life.
She was preceded in death by her son, Ben Richardson; her brother, Ronny Valley; her parents, Paula and Cletus Valley; her cat, Sissy; and her dog, Tiny.
She is survived by her daughter, Sasha (Daniel); her stepchildren, Kelly (James) Branch and Chris (Emily) Richardson; her sisters, Shirley (Greg) Snitker and Vicki Ann Valley; her brothers, Ricky (Lynda) Valley and Roger (Marlene) Valley; many nieces and nephews and their families; and her many friends. She’s also survived by Sasha and Daniel’s dog, Lucy; her other cat, Baby; and an uncountable number of dogs that she fed on her daily walks.
Online condolences may be left at www.martinfunerals.com.
