Nancy Jane (Reitmeyer) Beatty

Nancy Jane (Reitmeyer) Beatty, 54, Hummelstown, passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 13, 2015 at the Carolyn Croxton Slane Hospice Residence, Harrisburg.

Born March 13, 1961 in Lewistown, she was the daughter of Virginia Olsen and John Reitmeyer; was a 1979 graduate of Shippensburg Area Senior High School and received her Bachelor's degree from Penn State.  She continued her education at Penn State and Hershey Medical Center, and became a Registered Nurse at Hershey Med.  Considered by her colleagues to be an "old-time" nurse, her patients frequently sought her out following the tender care they received at her hands.  Quiet and professional, she was content to work in the background, but in her compassionate way, managed to touch the hearts of everyone she met and treated.  Her family is eternally grateful to her nursing family for their diligent and continual loving presence through her last days.

She was a member of Christ the Saviour Orthodox Church in Harrisburg and was a former member of St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church in Steelton.  She also frequently attended Calvary United Methodist Church, Harrisburg, where she sang in the choir with her husband.  Her love of music started when she was young, playing trumpet in high school and singing with the choir at Penn State and later in life was a member of the Lebanon Valley College Alumni Chorale.

Nancy enjoyed the outdoors, working in the yard and garden, and biking and hiking.  She and friends hiked for a couple weeks at Glacier National Park; and biked along the Oregon Coast and at Yosemite.  She traveled extensively, riding horses in Vermont and making a visit to the Holy Land.  She was also an avid reader, especially of historical and non-fiction works.

Aside from her family, though, Nancy's greatest love was for animals.  She always had cats, and will by sadly missed by her beloved Keeley.  In addition, she was a devout horsewoman.  She and her horse, Showy, traveled to many competitions for Combined Driving Events. She was a member and former treasurer for Twin Brooks Horse Show Association and was a member of the Brandywine Driving Club.

Surviving is her beloved husband, Ronald E. Beatty, with whom she would have celebrated five years of marriage in November; her mother, Virginia Olsen (fmr. Reitmeyer), Hummelstown; her father, John (and his wife, Carol) Reitmeyer, Mechanicsburg; her sister, Gail M. (and her husband, Rick) Kepner, Harrisburg; and a host of other family members and friends, all of whom will miss her and her loving care.

A viewing will be held Thursday, September 17, 2015 from 5:30 pm until 7:00 pm at Christ the Saviour Orthodox Church, 5501 Old Locust Lane, Harrisburg, followed by a service from 7:00 pm until 8:00 pm, with the Rev. Stephen Vernak officiating.  There will also be a Panakhida funeral service at the church Friday at 10:00 am, followed by interment at Rolling Green Memorial Park, Camp Hill.  All family and friends are invited to all the services.  Additionally, there will be a visitation at 2:00 pm Sunday, September 20, 2015 at Calvary United Methodist Church, 4700 Locust Lane, Harrisburg,  followed by a memorial service at 3:00 pm with Rev. Dr. S. Ronald Parks officiating.

Contributions in her memory may be made to Hospice of Central Pennsylvania, 1320 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg, 17110; the CJD Foundation, 341 W. 38th Street, Suite 501, New York, NY  10018; or to any local animal rescue.

Kimmel Funeral Home, Harrisburg is handling arrangements.