Nancy Kathleen "Nan" Theis Obituary (1959 - 2014)

Nancy Kathleen"Nan" Theis, 54, of Morton, formerly of Bloomington, passed away at 5:45 pm, Thursday, March 27, 2014 at the Apostolic Christian Timber Ridge Home in Morton.Her funeral will be at 10:00 am, Friday, (4-4-14) at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Bloomington with Rev. R. Anthony Lee officiating. Burial will be in St. Marys Cemetery, Bloomington. Visitation will be from 5:00-8:00 pm. Thursday, (4-3-14) at Carmody-Flynn Williamsburg Funeral Home, Bloomington.Nancy was born in Bloomington, Illinois on September 25, 1959, a daughter of Peter S. and Margaret Hayes Theis.She attended Metcalf School and was later a resident of Oakwoods Estates and the Timber Ridge facility at the Apostolic Christian Home for the Handicapped in Morton.She is survived by her mother, Margaret Theis of Bloomington; 5 siblings including three sisters, Margaret (Jerold) Bratcher of Bloomington, Kathryn (Jeffrey) Panfil of Stafford, Virginia, Teresa (Tim) Haefer of Batavia, and two brothers, Mark Theis of St. Charles, Missouri, and Peter Theis of Chicago.She is also survived by 4 nieces, Christina Hines, Julie Davis, Gillian Theis, Lauren Haefer, and one nephew, Jack Haefer.Nancy was preceded in death by her father and an infant brother, David.As an adult, Nan was employed at the Highland Center Sheltered Workshop in Morton and enjoyed many experiences there with her group of friends and wonderful staff over the years.She was among the first city residents to participate in the Bloomington-Normal Special Olympics program in the 1960s, and due to her accomplishments as a swimmer, bowler, and equestrian, was the recipient of several hundred Special Olympics medals.Nan also loved the time she spent with friends at the MARC Center in Bloomington and Central Illinois Riding Therapy (CIRT) Program in East Peoria. Her experience there allowed her to be selected to give the first equestrian demonstration in the State at the Illinois Special Olympics Summer Games in the 1987, which was followed with a decision in 1988 by the Special Olympics Board to add an equestrian event to its national program. One of her greatest riding accomplishments was to compete at the 1995 World Special Olympics in New Haven, Connecticut where she won a Silver Medal in the Working Trails event. Participating as an athlete in the SOAR program was one of Nans greatest loves, and her family is grateful for thernadvocacy and opportunities the program provided her for over four decades.The Theis family would especially like to extend its gratitude to her case managers and medical staff at the Apostolic Christian Home in Morton for the warm and heartfelt care they provided Nan. It is the familys wish that memorials be made to: Apostolic Christian Services, 2125 Veterans Road in Morton, the CIRT Program in East Peoria, the Illinois Special Olympics, or the TCRC Highland Center in Morton.We will miss our Nan and her gentle nature. She was a model of love and sweetness for us all.