Nancy "Nan" Mcbain

Nancy “Nan” Briggs McBain was born on December 25, 1943, to Louis and Lucile Briggs in Battle Creek. During her early years, she worked beside her parents and older brother, Mark, in the Briggs’ Northside Drug Store and Briggs’ Southside Drug Store.

Nan was a 1962 graduate of Lakeview Senior High School and has served on their reunion committee since graduation. This past August, she was able to enjoy their 60th Class Reunion.

During 1961, she lived in Melle, Germany as a foreign exchange student. She was temporarily held at Checkpoint Charlie on the day the Berlin Wall was erected. Since then, her own home has hosted many international students.

In 1968, she received an Associate degree in Business Administration from Kellogg Community College. She went on to earn her bachelor’s in business administration in 1983 and Master of Business Administration in 1989 at Western Michigan University.

Of note, she was an active board member for the Institute of Management Accountants, which she was chapter president of from 1991 to 1992 and on the Michigan Council Board from 1992 to 1994. Nan also served on the board of Directors of Administrative Management Society, United Way of Greater Battle Creek, Boy Scouts of America and Kitanniwa Council of Camp Fire Girls.

From 1962 to 1967 she was an account executive in finance for the Highway Department State of Michigan in Lansing. From 1976 to 1986, she was controller at Family and Children’s Services of Calhoun County. At that time, Nan was also a licensed financial counselor with a private practice in management consulting. From 1986 to 2003, Nan was employed at Kellogg Community College as controller for the college and she also taught Business and Accounting classes part-time. She retired from KCC on December 31, 2003. Most recently, Nan worked as secretary for Chapman’s Nursery on Beadle Lake Road with plans to retire in October of 2022.

Nan was an active member of Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, participating in many groups the church had to offer. She most enjoyed mission trips to Guatemala where she had positive experiences helping people hand-on.

Her family home at Beadle Lake, boating, nature and gardening, traveling, pottery, stained glass and theater were some of her favorite past times. Nan was a lifelong learner and enjoyed taking classes to learn something new.

Family is what brought her the most joy in life. Nan married Donald L. Pazan and together they had daughter Cari L. Briggs (Pazan). That marriage ended in divorce, but Nan found love with Donald C. McBain and they were married in 1967. They welcomed a son, Jeffrey M. McBain. Don passed in 1980. Many years later, Nan fell in love with Richard M. Van Nortwick and they were married on February 14, 1999. Rich passed away on December 14, 2010.

Nan is survived by her daughter, Cari L. Briggs (Pazan) and son Jeffrey M. McBain both of Battle Creek; three grandchildren, Lauren Wood (Mann) of Battle Creek, Richard McBain of Fort Smith, Arkansas and Christina Shuford (Pazan) of Albion; six great grandchildren, Lillian, Ry’Kell, Danielle, Nevaeh, Natalie and Avante. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Mark W. Briggs of Holland, three husbands and many dear friends.

Nan’s life has impacted so many over the years and brought joy to everyone she interacted with. She taught us independence, love, sacrifice, strength and perseverance, respect and filled our lives with laughter. Her beautiful life ended on September 29, 2022, but she voiced peace and comfort in her final days and left this earth full of love and no regret. She will be a greatly missed presence.

In accordance with her wishes cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, October 7, 2022, at the Richard A. Henry Funeral Home and Cremation Services. www.henryfuneralhome.org