Nancy Marie (Neff) Derr passed away on April 25, 2021 at the age of 103.

Nancy was born to William Henry and Alice Marie (Childs) Neff on July 4, 1917, in Atchison, KS. She had two siblings, Virginia Lee (Neff) Ruth and William Robert Neff.

The family moved to Blackwell, OK in 1919, then to Woodward, OK in 1933. In 1934 the family moved to Winfield, KS, where Nancy met the love of her life, Louis Everette Derr. They were married in Winfield, KS on December 4, 1935. They moved to Ardmore, OK where Nancy was a homemaker raising their three children; Millicent Marie (Derr) Elmore (b. 10/13/1936), Phillip Stanley Derr (b. 10/6/1939), and Barbara Ann (Derr) Buikstra (b. 1/11/1943). They later moved to Stillwater, OK after their children were grown.

Nancy worked at Oklahoma State University. Louis’s job with the U.S. Department of Agriculture took them to Arlington, VA, until Louis retired. They then moved to Tahlequah, OK where Nancy lived out her years after Louis’s death in 1984. Nancy was a member of Tahlequah First United Methodist Church. She was a Lifetime Member of Soil and Water Conservation Society, NARFE – Chapter 656 State Member SWCS.

Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her son Phillip, her daughter Barbara, her brother William Robert, her sister Virginia, son-in law George Elmore and several nieces and nephews.

Nancy is survived by her daughter Millicent Elmore of Wichita, KS, son-in-law Cyrus Buikstra of Stillwater, OK, and granddaughter Felecia Elmore Perfect and husband Steve of Tallahassee, FL.

Paid Obituary