Nancy J. Widdowson

May 16, 1953 - August 6, 2019

Nancy Widdowson, 66 Gibbon resident Nancy J. Widdowson, 66, of Gibbon passed away Tuesday, August 6, 2019 at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, surrounded by her husband, children and grandchildren. A Celebration of Life service will be 10:00 a.m. Monday, August 12, 2019 at Gibbon Baptist Church. Reverend Matt Wolf will officiate. Interment will be at Riverside Cemetery in Gibbon. Visitation and time to gather with Nancy’s family will be from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday, August 11, 2019 at the Gibbon Baptist Church. Memorials are suggested to the Gibbon Baptist Church. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Services are entrusted to O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services. She was born May 16, 1953 to Virgil and Betty (Shafer) Gibbons of Kenesaw, NE. Nancy attended Lowell Country School until 6th grade, then attended Gibbon High School where she graduated in 1971. On June 18, 1972, she married Bradley James Widdowson, her high school sweetheart, in Shelton NE. Brad and Nancy have built their life in the Gibbon/Shelton area where they have devoted their lives to family, church, and farming. Nancy never met a person that she didn’t treat as one of her own. Friends and family far and wide use these words to describe her: generous, caring, tough, loving, joyful, fun, spirited, messy, intuitive, stubborn, firm, thoughtful, organizer, fearless, bold, creator, and faithful. People also consider her the matriarch of the family, driving force, party planner, painter, “the flipper,” amazing cook, back rubber, giggler, card shark, game player, traveler, to know no stranger, loyal friend, enjoyed casinos, teacher, Christian, creator, warm smile, musician, confidant, servant leader, wild and crazy woman, good listener, reader, hard-worker, high expectations, good steward, baby rocker, inviting hostess, story teller, and the list could go on. One of Nancy’s absolute joys was serving her Lord at Gibbon Baptist Church. She glorified God through worship, discipline, and service. She played piano for over 40 years, served on every committee imaginable, and started and finished many different projects that have graced her family, the community, and church. Nancy once described how unbelievable being a mother was and how much love she had for her children, but the love that she had for her nine beautiful grandchildren was purely from heaven. Nancy was able to spend precious time with each and every one of her grandchildren the last month of her life. We will all cherish those memories! Left to cherish her memory are her husband, Bradley Widdowson; and children, John and Laurie Widdowson, Eliza and Scott Ferzely, Virgie Widdowson, and Abby and Matt Elsbury. Nancy loved her precious grandchildren, Maverick and Maguire Widdowson, Delanie, Caden, and Sydney Ferzely, Lily, Hudson, and Beckett Elsbury. Nancy is also survived by her sister, Kathy Ganz of Kearney, and many in laws, cousins and other relatives and friends. Nancy was preceded in death by her beloved grandson, Mullen Widdowson; her parents; both set of grandparents, Homer and Bertha Shafer and John and Lucille Gibbons; and her in-laws Jim and Winnie Widdowson.