Nancy Kay Petersen

Nancy Kay Petersen, 65 of Cokeville, Wyoming, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 2, 2021, after a courageous battle with breast cancer. She was surrounded by her family.

Nancy was born on November 13, 1955, in Afton, Wyoming; the daughter of Alfred and Shirley Thoman. She graduated from Cokeville High School and subsequently enrolled at Rick’s College in Rexburg, Idaho, where she met her future husband, Kerby Petersen. Her marriage to Kerby was solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple in 1976. She graduated from Rick’s College in 1976 with an associate's degree. She later obtained her real estate license and began a successful career in real estate, ultimately owning her own real estate business. Her talent and passion for staging and decorating homes helped in her success. She had a keen eye for design and was constantly decorating the homes of family and friends.

Nancy was devoted to her family. She loved her son and daughter deeply. Once grandchildren came along, she loved her grandchildren equally as fierce. She was the best mother and grandmother to her children and grandchildren. She constantly encouraged them and bragged about them to everyone, even into adulthood. She enjoyed nothing more than spending time with her family, and when asked what she wanted to do following her cancer diagnosis she stated, “I just want to live a simple life, and spend time with my grandbabies.” She did just that, spending as much time as she could with visits back and forth between Logan and Las Vegas. She spent time soaking up her children and grandchildren, enjoying birthdays, holidays, and watching NBA games with her family.

Nancy was a strong, independent woman, excelling in everything she did. She was successful in her professional life as a real estate agent, and in her personal life as a mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, and spouse. She had a personality that would light up a room, and a fiery attitude that kept you on your toes. She was known to tell anyone who disagreed with her, “When you are my age, you can do whatever you want to.” She enjoyed spending time at the Thoman Ranch, where she kept busy watching grandbabies, visiting with family, puzzling, and decorating. She loved tennis and was always playing in various tennis leagues, with friends and family. She especially looked forward to her annual trip to California with her sister, Rhonda, to watch tennis tournaments.

Nancy's family will miss her guidance, advice, hardworking, fun demeanor, and fiery attitude; just a few of her many qualities that she has passed along to her children and grandchildren. She has set a great example of strength, perseverance, and courage for her family to follow. She will be deeply missed and never forgotten. Her impact on the lives of others shall forever be remembered. Nancy's life was the epitome of the quote, “When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live.” (Stuart Scott).

Surviving Nancy is her best friend, Kerby, her two children, Ryan (Summer) and Brienne (Bret), and her eight grandchildren, Skylar, Reagan, Camdyn, Cooper, Kennedy, Tayden, Kaysen, and Quincee. She is also survived by her siblings Randy, Rhonda, and Jay. Welcoming her on the other side of the veil are her father and mother, Alfred and Shirley, and her siblings Oscar, Rickie Lee, and Dixie Rae.

Family graveside services will be celebrated on Saturday, March 20, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. at Randolph Cemetery, Randolph, Utah, where she will be interred next to her family.

Memorial donations would be appreciated to donate to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Organization to help with breast cancer prevention and cure at www.komen.org.