R��� I� P����
Nancy Goedert By Nancy’s beloved granddaughter, Kyle Goedert
N
ANCY GOEDERT PASSED AWAY THIS PAST JANUARY AT THE AGE OF 86. Most well-known in the community for
her decades of activism, she was also a loving mother of six and wonderful grandmother to 11. She recently welcomed her first great-grandchild, named for her husband, Charles, who preceded her in death in 2007. A native of Chicago, Illinois, Nancy met Charley in the early 1950s when he was a classmate of her sister Sally, at DePaul University. They married in 1956. They soon welcomed Marianne (Talon), John, Joe, Chuck, Rob, and Pete, and the family moved to Ferndale in 1967. Nancy’s first foray into politics came in the early 1970s when an issue hit close to home. Ferndale School District was at risk of losing federal funding for a
reading program that was helping her son Rob, unless they desegregated Grant Elementary School. Nancy attended a school board meeting and urged them to desegregate, but they voted to maintain the status quo. She attended another meeting with a group of people who wanted to replace the school board and change these policies. She became involved and, through years of campaigns, they eventually won all seven seats on the board.
O
NCE THE FLAME HAD BEEN IGNITED, NANCY TOOK UP OTHER IMPORTANT CAUSES. She marched for the Equal Rights Amendment and advocated on behalf of the National Committee for Sane Nuclear Policy. She was most recognizable to Ferndale residents for her anti-war protests at the corner of 9 Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, where she could be found every Monday urging motorists to honk. She was ticketed in June 2006 for disturbing the peace and, along with four fellow protestors and the ACLU, successfully sued the City under the First Amendment.
As the oldest of Nancy’s grandchildren, I was lucky enough to have 30 years with her. As we have all grown up, our relationships with her evolved. When we were kids, her house was board games and ice cream and staying up late to watch TV Land. It was donuts for breakfast and trips to the zoo. I don't remember ever being sad in that house on Woodland. As we got older, she stopped treating us like children and recognized us as adults. Some of my favorite memories with her were made during the last few years, talking as women over a box of cheap, pink wine, a Nancy Goedert staple. Though her activism is inspirational, it is her spirit that we will remember. Nancy Goedert was a strong woman. She found joy in every part of life. Most importantly, she knew both of those things are found in family, and that is what she taught to us. ■
1951
Nancy Goedert and family, 2001.
McGuire family circa 1946": Noreen, Nancy (Goedert), Sally (Beene), Joe, Dennis, Marty
2020 Ferndale City Guide
Nancy, Charley and grandchildren circa 1996: Sara Talon (left) and Lyndsey Talon (now Steinbock), Kyle Goedert (redhead)
Nancy and Charley, Chicago IL Feb. 11, 1956
