Nancy passed away on a beautiful spring day in southern Virginia. The family is very thankful for the excellent and compassionate care she received in the ICU units at Maryview Hospital and the Sentara Careplex.

Nancy was born on June 30, 1951 at Lutheran Hospital in Baltimore, MD. She graduated from Lansdowne Senior High School in 1969 before attending Frostburg State Teacher's College for 2 years. She worked for the Social Security Administration in Woodlawn, MD as a Disability Claims Authorizer from 1973 until she retired in 2009; many co-workers became her friends. After retiring, Nancy moved to Southern Virginia to be the devoted Nana to the "sunshine" of her life, her granddaughter, Shelby.

Despite moving, Nancy remained a proud Baltimore girl. She was picky about her crab cakes and nothing could compare to a Maryland crab cake. She religiously listened to C4 every morning.

Nancy was a huge sports fan of many Maryland teams. She was initially a Colts fan and had fond memories of watching them alongside her dad and uncles on Sunday afternoons. She was also a big fan of Johnny Unitas and Artie Donovan. Like a true Baltimorean, she is still a little bitter about the move. When the Ravens were formed, she became a fan, watching whenever they played and decorating the house in all things purple and black. She was a faithful Orioles fan through the good and the bad years. She even attended the night Cal Ripken Jr. tied Lou Gehrig's record. She always watched University of Maryland football and basketball. When they won, she would call them the Maryland Terps, but when they lost, she affectionately called them the Maryland "Twerps."

She enjoyed crafting, sewing, puzzles, and spending time with her family. She attended all of Shelby's volleyball and softball games

Nancy is survived by her husband, William Michael Walat; son, Travis Michael Walat; daughter and son-in-law, Bryan and Suzanne Michel Jones; granddaughter, Shelby Elizabeth Jones; and nephew, Gil Cantillo. She is predeceased by her parents, William and Elizabeth Gifford; sister and brother-in-Law, Virgilio and Barbara Ellen Cantillo; niece, Melissa Cantillo; and nephew, William Cantillo.

The family will receive friends from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 2, at Foster Funeral Home, 1926 High St., Portsmouth, immediately followed by a graveside service at 11:00 a.m. at Meadowbrook Memorial Gardens, 4569 Shoulders Hill Rd., Suffolk. Condolences may be registered at BWFosterFuneralHome.com.