Nancy Lou (Copeland) Halbgewachs

Dr. Nancy Lou Halbgewachs (née Copeland), 78, passed away peacefully though unexpectedly on Friday, July 6, 2018, in Albuquerque, NM. She was the cherished wife of Ronald Halbgewachs, daughter of Grace Fox Copeland and Jack Copeland, and a beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend.

Nancy grew up in St. John, KS. She met the love of her life, Ron, while they were students at the University of Kansas (KU) and they married in 1962. Throughout her life, Nancy was an avid KU Jayhawk basketball fan and made annual trips to the Big-12 basketball tournaments with Ron. Nancy valued education. She founded the Jack and Grace Copeland Scholarship Fund at KU. She earned her bachelor and master’s degree from KU and later a PhD in sociology at the University of New Mexico in 2011. Her dissertation was Censorship and Holocaust Film in the Hollywood Studio System.

Nancy was an avid reader, deep thinker, dynamic conversationalist, and creative lover of ideas, projects, art, plants, family, animals, and an advocate for many important causes throughout her life. As an undergraduate student at KU, Nancy facilitated the racial integration of women’s residence halls in 1961 and she continued to work closely with the Dean of Women on other important matters until she and Ron moved to New Mexico. Nancy loved children and was a life-long advocate for children’s education. In 1971, she co-founded A Child’s Garden at First Presbyterian Church as a non-sectarian community outreach, pre-school, and kindergarten experience for young children and that acknowledged the development of the whole child – social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and affective domains of development. This was the first preschool in New Mexico to be accredited by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs, and Nancy also created the Grace Copeland Scholarship Fund to help assure children of all backgrounds and socio-economic levels would have a place at the school. Additionally, Nancy and her husband developed and led a dynamic youth program at the church from 1968 to 1973 which provided social, spiritual, and community service activities for more than 140 teenagers. Most recently, Nancy co-established a safe place for the church community to explore and learn about mental health issues, more than 90 people attended the four seminars, and a subsequent group just began to meet to further discuss related topics. Further, as a member of First Presbyterian Church for more than 50 years, Nancy served as an elder, deacon, member of numerous committees, archivist of documents and artifacts, member of the Chancel Choir and Roadrunners, and with her husband co-led a senior’s program and three TGIF groups.

For many years, Nancy owned her own business, Sacred Threads. She worked with local weavers, and designed and created robes, stoles, banners, and other paraments for clergy and sanctuaries of all denominations, in nearly every state, and in Europe and England—including Westminster Abbey in London.

Nancy and her husband of 56 years, Ron, loved each other dearly. They built their life together and raised their family in Albuquerque. They traveled extensively and enjoyed the Santa Fe opera and social gatherings with friends. Nancy loved her five children and eight grandchildren very much and was proud of all of them and their accomplishments. Also, she had many dear friends whom she cherished. Nancy cared for others deeply.

Nancy is survived by her husband, Ron; her children, Ronna (Chris), David (Marah), Anne (Stan), Lara (Andy), and Phillip (Beth); her grandchildren, Lindsey, Veronica, Samantha, Grace, Florence, Ian, Kaitlyn, and James; her brother, Stan, and sister-in law, Carolyn; her brother in-law, and sister in-law Jerry and Barbara; and nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The Memorial Service for Nancy is at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 4, at First Presbyterian Church located at 215 Locust St. NE in Albuquerque, NM. A Reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Dr. Nancy Copeland Halbgewachs Scholarship Fund at A Child’s Garden, First Presbyterian Church, 215 Locust St. NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87102.