Obituary: Nancy Ann Cotsonis

Nancy Ann Cotsonis, loving mother and grandmother, succumbed to her illness on October 17, 2012. She was born June 30, 1945, in Wash. D.C. Nancy was the eldest of six children (herself, Patricia, Joyce, Dennis, Carole and June) to Margaret Smooth and Levi Merrifield. Nancy is survived by her sisters, Patricia, Carole and June; her three children, George, Penny and Paul; and seven grandchildren, Athena, Alexandria, Ella, Nicholas, Destiny, Dino and Demitri. She also leaves behind numerous cousins and lifelong friends.

In 1973, she moved to Carson city with her husband, Dino, and three young children. Unlike Dino who immediately took to the area, Nancy found adjusting to desert living so far from her large and close-knit family a difficult proposition. She would often look to the sagebrush covered mountains, so different from the thickly forested and green landscape of Md. and long for home. Although she always missed being close to her siblings and mother, as time passed she grew more and more fond of the wife open spaces, crisp air and clear skies of Northern Nev.

Nancy was the Ying to Dino's Yang. Whereas Dino was the outgoing and gregarious dreamer, Nancy was the deliberate and practical thinker of the two. Since early childhood, Nancy has exhibited a sharp wit and was a voracious reader. Although she only possessed a high school diploma, Nancy could be among Layers, doctors, engineers and other highly trained professionals and still be the brightest person in the room. She was a consummate professional as a legal assistant at the State of Nevada Employees Association and, towards the end of her career, at the Nevada Attorney General's Office.

Nancy was a loving mother and, most importantly to her, a loving and generous grandmother. She was most happy when spending time with her grandchildren and there was no one better with little ones than she. She had an ability to immediately connect with toddlers and she could quickly draw the shyest out of their shell. Nancy was warm, loving and ready with sage advice for any who sought her wise counsel. Although life will and must go on for those of us she has left behind, she will be greatly missed and our memories of her will be among our most cherished.

Pursuant to her wishes, there will be a very small and private celebration of her life among her children, grandchildren and her closest friends.