Nancy Burgess

Nancy Joan Harding Burgess went to be with the Lord on December 17, 2024, at the age of 76. Nancy, named after Frank Sinatra's song, "Nancy with the Laughing Face," had a face full of joy and a blithe spirit which laughed with Jesus, bringing laughter to the hearts of all whom she met.

Nancy came to personal faith in Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior while a child, being reared in one of the finest Christian homes ever. She made her public profession of faith at St. Mark's Methodist Church, Ocala, FL. Ocala was her home from age two, when her family moved there from Indianapolis, IN, where she was born on January 3, 1948, the first-born of Dr. and Mrs. Dwight [Joan] Harding.

Nancy is a graduate of Ocala High School, Class of 1966, as is her husband of 54 years, Rev. Larry T. Burgess. They met in kindergarten and were classmates in the same elementary school, junior high school and high school. After graduation from high school, Nancy earned a degree in Elementary Education from Florida State University, and taught in public schools in Gordon County, GA; Louisville, KY; and Rome, GA. However, her primary professions were Child of God, pastor's wife, mother, sister, aunt, teacher of the Bible, Sunday School Conference Leader, Women's Conference Leader, member of the ministry staff of the Atlanta Metro Baptist Association, founder and leader of Heart & Soul Connection, a non-profit which ministered to pastor's wives, and "Momma Nance" to the young ladies of HopeQuest Addiction Treatment Center. Nancy absolutely loved the Scriptures and taught the Bible as far east as England and Switzerland and as far west as New Mexico, Idaho and Nevada.

Nancy and Larry served seven churches during their ministry career: First Baptist Church, Calhoun, GA; First Baptist Church, Ocala, FL; Shively Baptist Church, Louisville, KY; Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, Rome, GA; Clairmont Hills Baptist Church, Decatur, GA; Lucerne Baptist Church, Lilburn, GA; North Clarendon Baptist Church, Scottdale, GA.

Nancy and Larry have lived in Tucker for 39 years. Joanna is the rare pastor's child who remembers only one home, having moved there when she was 18 months old.

Larry and Nancy married on June 20, 1970, in the First Baptist Church, Ocala, FL. Larry graduated from Shorter College one Saturday, Nancy graduated from FSU the next Saturday and they were married the following Saturday. While living in Rome, GA, their daughter, Joanna, was born on January 13, 1984. Nancy has loved Joanna to the depth of her being and has always been a part of Jo's every activity. Nancy also home-schooled Joanna during the seventh and eighth grades, teaching every subject with excellence, including cooking and sewing, at which Joanna is proficient to this day.

Nancy and Larry prayed for Joanna's future husband from the day they discovered they were expecting. She met him almost 26 years later: Thomas Hardy, son of Robert and Gina Hardy of McDonough, GA. He had grown up under the pastorate of Larry's dear friend in college, Dr. Jim Bradshaw, at First Baptist Church of McDonough. In the fall of 2010, Joanna wore the same wedding dress Nancy had worn forty years earlier, and she and Thomas were married at Clairmont Hills Baptist Church, with Dad and Dr. Bradshaw officiating.

Nancy and Larry suffered a miscarriage in 1987 and Nancy has now met their second child in Heaven.

For decades, Nancy has been "Sissy" or "Aunt Sissy" to her sisters and their children. She is universally adored by her family.

Nancy is survived and cherished by her husband, Rev. Larry T. Burgess of Tucker; daughter, Joanna and "son-in-love" Thomas Hardy of Atlanta; sister, Diann [Gary] Stowers of Ocala, FL; sister, Sharon [David] Lanham of Dunedin, FL; sister-in-law, Shirley Reaves of Live Oak, FL; niece, Christyn Stowers of Apopka, FL; nephew, Travis Stowers of Ocala, FL; niece, Stephanie Lanham of New Port Richey, FL; nephew, David [Becky] Reaves of Live Oak, FL; niece, Kathie [Daniel] Branistareneau of St. Marys, GA; niece, Tori [Toy] Underwood of Summerfield, FL; nephew, Ronnie [Marilyn] Gooch of Mechanicsville, VA; niece, Debbie Gooch of Aylett, VA; as well as a host of cousins and a younger generation of great nieces and nephews. She is also survived by beloved foster daughter, Ashley [Alex] Winborne of Cambridge, England and their son Eli; and by "adopted grandchildren": Hannah, Christopher and Matthew Roebuck, who called her "MiMi."

After the death of Nancy's mother, Dr. Harding married Carolyn Bean Harding. Nancy is survived by Carolyn's daughters: Jennie [Ron] Steel; Judy [Gary] Blanchard; Jan Collings; Jackie [Greg] Frescoln.

Nancy was predeceased by her parents, Dr. and Mrs. Dwight [Joan] Harding. Never has a daughter had better, more Godly parents.

Nancy was laid to rest at Honey Creek Woodlands Cemetery in Conyers, GA.