Nancy Bibb, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, died peacefully on Monday, August 9, 2021, at her home in Columbia, Tennessee. She was with family members, including Edward, her devoted husband of sixty-seven years.
Nancy was born to the late Jesse and Lela Barber Fields on August 19, 1936, in Weirton, West Virginia. Her late brother, Alton, was twelve years her senior. Nancy’s mother Lela died in 1938 when she was struck by a drunk driver in Weirton. At the time of the accident, Nancy was eighteen months old. Her paternal grandmother Emmie Fields raised Nancy. They moved to Columbia from West Virginia where Nancy enrolled in Central High School. There, she met Edward, a meeting that sparked a life-long romance. Nancy and Edward married on April 9, 1954, in the home of the late R. F. Allen, pastor of the First Assembly of God Church in Columbia. They remained in Columbia to raise their four children, which was important to Nancy who had moved frequently and attended many different schools as a child. She wanted her children to have the stability of starting and finishing school in the same town. Nancy retired from J. C. Penney where she worked for over twenty years; she intended only to work part-time as a sales clerk for the holidays but later became supervisor of the catalog department. Nancy and Edward were long-time, active members of the First Assembly of God Church (C1) in Columbia. They encouraged their children to love God, be kind to others, and always to do their best–regardless of the task at hand.
Nancy’s loves were God, family, and home, in that order. Her greatest pleasures were spending time with her husband, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. When she was not working outside the home, Nancy was cooking, cleaning, and caring for her family. At various times, she cared for not only her husband and children but also her grandmother, father, uncle, and both Edward’s parents.
Nancy is survived by Edward and their four children: Wanda (Woody Dotson) of Lebanon, Tennessee; Cindy Hardie (Donald) of Barrie, Ontario, Canada; Wade (Melissa Hall) of Knoxville, Tennessee; and Jill (Chuck Gifford) of Trenton, Tennessee. Nancy also leaves three grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and three step-great-grandchildren: Whitney Russell Dunlap (Warner) and their children Jackson, Sawyer, Libby, and Elliott Brooke Jane of Milan, Tennessee; Emily Bibb Mosher (Nathanael) of Waco, Texas; and Brooke Russell Stover (Jeremy) and their sons, Asa and Raylen of Obion, Tennessee.
The family would like to express their gratitude to Caris Healthcare. Dr. Ball and his staff, including nurses, aides, social workers, and chaplain provided invaluable support for Nancy in her last days. Caris worked with the family at all hours of the day and night in keeping Nancy as comfortable as possible.
Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, August 10. The funeral service will be held at Williams Funeral Home, 2517 Trotwood Avenue, Columbia, Tennessee, at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, August 11, 2021, followed by burial at Polk Memorial Gardens, 6465 Trotwood Avenue, Columbia, Tennessee. Pallbearers are John Chadwell, Chuck Gifford, Tim Cope, Randy Goodwin, Warner Dunlap, and Jeremy Stover. Honorary pallbearers are Donald Hardie, Woody Dotson, Nancy’s retired colleagues of J. C. Penney, and members of C1, Columbia Tennessee. Please note that due to the recent spike in Covid infections, the family strongly encourages all visitors to wear masks.
