Nancy McClelland

Nancy Jo Davis was born May 21, 1943, to William Sherman Davis, II and Janet Cosgrove Davis in Kansas City, Missouri. Nancy was the second of three children, her older brother Donald, who currently resides in Kansas City, Missouri and her younger sister Linda, who currently resides with her husband Kent in Overland Park, Kansas.

Nancy graduated from Paseo High School in 1961. Nancy later graduated from Kansas City Junior College with an Associate of Science degree in 1963, the University of Missouri Kansas City in 1965 with the bachelor's degree in biology and a master's degree in education in 1967.

While in high school Nancy began having kidney related health problems. Nancy subsequently had to receive two kidney transplants. The first donor kit lasted about two years. The second donor kidney was given to Nancy by her sister Linda Sue. Linda and Nancy were such a great match, Nancy was able to live for 48 more years. Linda‘s gift not only enabled Nancy to live but also enabled Nancy to have a son, Frank. Frank and his late wife, Cathryn had Joel and Amelia. Frank, Joel, and Amelia currently reside in Prairie Village, Kansas.

Nancy was a tomboy when she was young. She enjoyed playing cowboys with cap guns. She was an excellent student and a lifelong learner. She loved to read more than any other activity, and for many many years could often be found sitting in a comfortable chair with a book in hand and a cat curled up on her lap.

Nancy had an adventurous spirit and thrived when she was challenged. Nancy once climbed a 700-foot-tall smokestack, at the power plant where she worked, simply because it was there.

Nancy was a sorghum farmer and a tree farmer on the land she had, north of Orrick, Missouri. Nancy was a science teacher in the Liberty and Orrick, Missouri School Districts where she was known for having unusual, preserved specimens on display in her classroom as well as constructing a still, which demonstrated how alcohol was refined.

Nancy was a single mother at a time when she could not raise a family on her teacher's salary, so she took a job as a chemist at the power company then known as Missouri public Service where she worked until her retirement in 1998.

Nancy was active in her church, Unity of Independence and Christ Light Unity of Excelsior Springs, Missouri for many years. Nancy’s generous spirit has helped many people who were fortunate enough to have been looked upon, by her as needing help. Nancy seemed to always want to help others even when she herself was struggling. Nancy could be stubborn, but she was more than fair to anyone who has done business with her.

Nancy was shrewd with money and was able to live frugally enough to retire young. Nancy developed an interest in scuba diving and spent many years diving with her friends all over the world. In her spare time, Nancy also volunteered at Habitat for Humanity for many years, and she proudly wore her Habitat Jacket through the years since her service.

Nancy was a free thinker who lived her own way. She was a good friend to many. She was a good person who always thought of others in tough circumstances, probably because she had been through tough circumstances. She never quit and she always did what she thought was the right thing.

A memorial service will be held in Nancy’s honor at the Unity Of Independence on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at 1 PM. A reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers, please memorialized Nancy by sending donations to Habitat for Humanity of Kansas