NANCY MARIE "NANCE" O'BRIEN

Lynn M.
Duluth, MN     08/05/2012 2:54 PM

I joined Marshall's faculty in 1999 and worked with Nance until 2009. We would often cross paths in the copy room at 6:30 in the morning. Early on, I would attempt to engage Nance in small talk. My early morning small talk was most often not embraced and at first took this personally. As we continued to work together, I saw firsthand her complete and total dedication to her students. I started to understand that Nance had no time for small talk. This does not mean that Nance was unfriendly. Over the years, I would slowly get to know a very private woman with a wickedly dry sense of humor. Students talk to other teachers all of the time about their experiences in other classrooms. So many of her students would walk on hot coals for her. And she for them. Nance was not only an extraordinarily talented teacher, she spent an enormous amount of time helping students to become very competent Spanish speakers and readers. There were days when I would run into Nance leaving the building at 6 a.m. I would soon learn that she was heading home for a shower after working all night in her classroom. I feel very privileged to have worked with Nance. I am astounded that she worked full time for two years while continuing her cancer treatment. I know first hand the energy teaching requires, I know she would not have lowered her standards one bit. Her legacy is deep and wide. She has thousands of students out in the world who are doing things better and more professionally because she was their teacher. Thank you Nance from all of them and from those of us who worked with you. You were a rare teacher. Lynn Fryberger MacLean

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