Nancy Louise Theilmann

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Nancy Theilmann on August 16, 2026 after a long, courageous battle with Parkinson's. She is survived by her sister Patricia, her children Rebecca and Eric (Gabrielle), three nieces, two nephews, and her grandchildren Mira, Rowen and Corbin.

The daughter of John and Dorothy Miller, she was born on September 1, 1944 in La Junta, Colorado. She grew up on the family farm in Rocky Ford, CO and developed a life long love of animals, especially dogs and horses (turkeys not so much). Her talent in art and music was nurtured by her parents. She pursued a degree in Music Education at McPherson College where she met her future husband, Robert (Bob).

Early in their marriage, Nancy and Bob moved to Albuquerque and then Phoenix. Phoenix became their permanent home, where they raised their family. Nancy spent her time teaching private piano lessons and taking her children to an endless array of sports and music activities.

As her children grew older, Nancy found another passion on the tennis court, both as a player and as a USTA official. A fierce competitor, she won many tournaments, including two national USTA senior championships with her lifelong tennis friends. As a line umpire, she worked her way through the ranks and ultimately achieved her goal of officiating at the US Open in Queens, New York, for several years.

As soon as her grandchildren could hold a racket, she brought them out onto the tennis courts and encouraged their love for tennis and many other sports. She was thrilled to be an assistant coach while her grandchildren played at McClintock High School as well.

Nancy was a true loyal and avid Arizona sports fan. Through good and bad she loved to watch and talk about them with family and friends. By far, her favorite players and performers were her grand kids. As her grand kids got older she spent her time attending as many of their music and sports performances as possible.

Nancy and her husband enjoyed traveling together. They saw the world on cruises and other adventures, while family trips remained an important part of their lives. She especially loved house boating on Lake Powell and ski trips throughout Arizona and Colorado with family and friends.

Nancy was so many things: a devoted wife, mom, aunt and grandma, a highly competitive tennis and bridge player, a tennis umpire, a musician, a teacher, a coach, a kind loyal friend, a spirited sports fan.

She lived her life to the fullest, always finding joy and celebrating with exuberance. Nancy traveled the world, made lasting friendships, cared deeply for her family, and faced life with an unbridled enthusiasm and a wonderfully quirky sense of humor. She was dependable, grounded, refused to take a photo with a straight face, and spent untold hours with her kids and grand kids watching movies, playing sports, making music, celebrating holidays, and taking family vacations.

Above all, she loved sharing life with the people she loved.

A celebration of her life will be held in November later this year. Please contact the family at [email protected] for details