DODGE CITY - Nancy Jane Berkely, 90, was born September 15, 1922 in Dodge City, Kansas to N.C. and Agnes (Hendrixson) Petersen. Nancy died on December 5, 2012 at her home in Sarasota, Florida. Nancy married Joe Berkely on October 21, 1944.

Nancy graduated from Dodge City Senior High School in 1940. She was active in chorus, pep club, Thespians, plays, and operetta. Nancy was a class officer and a member of the annual yearbook staff. Upon graduation, she enrolled at the University of Kansas and was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority.

While home from college, a young airman from Chicago found himself stationed at Dodge City Army Airfield. It took Joe only a few hours in town before he made arrangements to meet the "nice girls" in Dodge City. Nancy and Joe were introduced at a party shortly thereafter. They did not immediately hit it off. Nancy thought Joe was a "hot rod pilot" and he thought she was a little "stuck-up." They dated anyway and eventually fell in love and were engaged.

Nancy graduated from KU in 1944 and that fall, the two of them married. She was installed into P.E.O Chapter DZ in 1945 and was Chapter DZ President in 1957-1958. Nancy shared her husband's love of boating, whether it was their first second-hand boat that was a surplus life raft used at Ford County Lake, the "Nancy Nan" at Shangri La Resort in Oklahoma or the beautiful "Dolphin Dancer". Nancy lived a full and faith-filled life. She was a loving wife, a great mother and grandmother and a terrific friend. She was beautiful inside and out. Nancy will be dearly missed by all who had the privilege to know and spend time with her.

Nancy was a member of St. Cornelius Episcopal Church in Dodge City, and All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church of Long¬boat Key, Florida.

Nancy will be deeply missed by her husband Joe, her daughter Nancy and son-in-law Bob Griffin of Myakka City, Florida and grandson Kyle Griffin, his wife Anne and their two children, Kate and Hailey, of Trumbull, Connecticut.

Memorial service will be held at Saint Cornelius Episcopal Church in Dodge City on Friday, January 18, 2013 at 10:00 AM with Rev. Mark Cowell presiding. Memorials are suggested to St. Cornelius Episcopal Church in care of Swaim Funeral Home - 1901 Sixth Ave - Dodge City, Kansas 67801. Thoughts and memories may be shared in the online guest book at www.swaimfuneralhome.com.