Nancy Roemheld
The Rev. Nancy C. Roemheld, 80, died on January 4, 2013. Rev. Roemheld was born in Holyoke, MA on February 23, 1932 to Ruth and Frederick Stevens. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Alverno College in 1982. She went on to attain a Master of Divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological School and a Master of Arts in Religious Studies from The University of Chicago Divinity School, both in 1986.
Rev. Roemheld was ordained on June 1, 1986 at the Unitarian Church West in Brookfield, WI. She was first called to serve the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens, GA from 1986-1994. She then embarked on a remarkable 12-year career as an interim minister where she served the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greensboro in Jamestown, NC from 1995-1996; the Unitarian Universalist Church of Studio City, CA from 1997-1999; the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo, NY from 1999-2000; the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tucson, AZ from 2000-2001; the Bradford Community Church UU in Kenosha, WI from 2001-2002; the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Wilmington, NC from 2002-2003; the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Erie, PA from 2003-2005; the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Los Gatos, CA from 2005-2006; and the First Unitarian Church of Omaha, NE from 2006 until her retirement in 2007. She also served as a chaplain at the Universal Unitarian Church of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada from 1996-1997.
Committed to her faith, Rev. Roemheld was actively involved on all sides of the pulpit. She was a lay leader before becoming a minister. While serving the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens, she was especially proud of the work she did to help guide the church through the construction of brand new facilities. She also served on the board of the UUA’s Central Midwest District.
In a sermon she delivered one Easter Sunday called “Waking Up/Eros and Pathos,” Rev. Roemheld spoke wisely of life’s certain and universal struggles:
“From the depths of the collective human consciousness, the cosmic drama of the resurrection story emerged – to remind us that the heroic, fulfilled and therefore deathless life is achieved by surmounting some crucifixion, by living through some dark night of the soul; to remind us that the creative spirit of love lives in you and me…waiting to be expressed and experienced.”
Rev. Roemheld is survived by daughter, Joanne R. Jeanguenat; daughter, Kathryn C. Zunac and husband, Mick; son, Steven F. Roemheld and wife, Margaret; daughter, MaryBeth Roemheld and partner, Laurie Gift; grandchildren, Kristen and Jonathan; and great-granddaughter, Nora. She was predeceased by her former husband and friend, Fred Roemheld.
A memorial service was held on Saturday, February 9, 2013 at 3:30 p.m. at the First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee, 1342 N. Astor St., Milwaukee, WI 53202.
Notes of condolence may be sent to Joanne R. Jeanguenat at 2702 Mason St., Madison, WI 53705.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Happy Endings No-Kill Animal Shelter, 5349 West Forest Home Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53220; or to the Friends of the Unitarian Universalist Association at P.O. Box #55019, Boston, MA 02205.