Nancy Lou (Lindquist) Bartol

GLADSTONE — Nancy Lou (Lindquist) Bartol, formerly of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, was born October 28, 1938 in Escanaba, Michigan and died on June 4, 2025 at Lakeview Assisted Living in Gladstone, Michigan. She was 86.

Nancy, daughter of Andrew and Mabel (Johnson) Lindquist, first lived on the family farm in Bark River before moving to Stephenson Avenue in Escanaba as a young girl. She was the youngest of seven, including her sisters Gladys, Betty, Marion, Elaine, Pat, and brother Clay. Nancy loved spending time at the family camp on the Ford River where she would be on the water and in the row boat for countless hours. After graduating from Escanaba High School, Nancy attended and graduated from Ferris Institute with a degree in medical stenography. Shortly after arriving home with her degree, she met Dick (Richard) Bartol, and they were married on January 28, 1961. Nancy and Dick were married 62 years, and Nancy was widowed in 2023.

Early in their marriage, Nancy worked at banks in Trenary and Marquette. Once Dick graduated from NMU, the two moved to Dowagiac, Michigan for one year, then on to Manitowoc, Wisconsin for 62 years – raising their family including David, Richard Jr., and Jody. Nancy was a medical transcriptionist at Holy Family Hospital, then the guidance secretary at Lincoln High School, and she ended her career as the secretary of Franklin Elementary School.

In retirement, Nancy devoted her time to being an amazing, devoted grandmother, who would do anything for her grandsons. She enjoyed baking sweet treats, giving uncountable numbers of garden tractor rides, gardening, the wildflowers which fill the field around the family farm, and going out for ice cream after dinner. She also loved camping with her family and fishing with Dick, and she was always happy to turn her family’s fishing efforts into wonderful fish fries, especially if it involved a campfire and a rousing game of cards later. Nancy loved her time spent in the U.P. and traveling both within and outside the U.S. Nancy’s friends, colleagues, and assisted living staff overwhelmingly describe her as sweet, kind, patient, generous, and a great listener.

The family will have a celebration of life on Friday, July 4th at the family’s beloved farm in Traunik. Nancy was Swedish by birth, and Slovenian by marriage – mastering many beloved traditional dishes. At her request, all donations will be given to the Traunik Slovenian Club.

The Anderson Funeral Homes of Escanaba and Gladstone are assisting the Bartol family with arrangements and online condolences can be sent to the family at www.andersonfuneralhomes.net.