Nancy Ellis Wilson

WILSON, MRS. NANCY ELLIS Hopper Grand Haven Mrs. Nancy Ellis Hopper Wilson, age 82, died Tuesday, February 15, 2005 at Sierra House in Grand Haven. She was born in Chicago, Illinois on June 3, 1922 to Edward & Florence Smith Ellis. The young Nancy Ellis spent her childhood in Pasadena, California where she attended The Polytechnic School and excelled in tennis and badminton. She was the mixed doubles badminton champion of St. Louis, Missouri while attending The Principia Upper School and College in the St. Louis area during the late 1930's and early 1940's. In the 1950's, she was one of the few Western women to live in Saudi Arabia, starting in the capital city of Jeddah in 1950 with her then husband, Harry F. Hopper, Jr. In 1960, Nancy moved to Fennville, Michigan with her children, Harry and Nataly, to be near her sister and brother-in-law, Edith and Robert Hutchinson. In addition to being a successful single parent, Mrs. Wilson served as a house parent at The Principia Upper School, Clayton, Missouri and as an assistant Christian Science nurse at the Peace Haven care facility in suburban St. Louis, MO. SURVIVORS Son, Harry Maria Hopper III of Alexandria, VA; daughter, Nataly Hopper Berckmann of Grand Haven; 5 grandchildren, Fleur Hopper, Hillary Berckmann, Fiona Hopper, Tucker Berckmann and Jane Hopper. Mrs. Wilson was preceded in death by a sister, Edith Ellis Hutchinson and a brother, Douglas Ellis. MEMORIAL SERVICE 12:00 PM, Saturday, February 19, 2005, at St. John's Episcopal Church with Henry Idema III, PHD officiating. In lieu of flowers donations may be given to Hospice of North Ottawa Community or the YMCA of Grand Haven.