Nancy Bair Obituary

Nancy Lee Bair

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Nancy Lee Bair, 91, on Sunday, July 14, 2024.

She was born Aug. 7, 1932, in Findlay, the youngest of four born to Roy and Hazel Downing Roether.

Nancy is survived by four children, Connie Jean (Jim) Spears, Christina Lee (Daniel) Pinney, Stephen Frank Bair, and Cindy Lou (Aubrey Fulcher) Cannella; six grandchildren, Jonathon (Stacey) Spears, Jamie (Chad) Bennette, Terra (Blaine Anderson) Schropp, Sarah (Keith) Cross, Lauryn Cannella, and Anna Bair; and seven great-grandsons, Jordan, Leighton, Cameron, Ethon, Dylan, Nicholas, and Kayden.

She was preceded in death by her husband of nearly 72 years, Darel Dean Bair.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to Nancy's caregivers – Nita, Mary, Shauna, and Penny – for their dedicated support and compassion.

It was clear at an early age that Nancy was a gifted athlete and avid competitor. The first clue was when she traded an expensive birthday gift from her older brother for a secondhand tennis racket. Nancy learned to hit the tennis ball by playing against the garage door of her home. The garage door was a staunch trainer. It was relentless because it always returned the ball and mirrored her shot. If her shot was bad, the return was bad, and she had to chase it. If her shot was good, the return was coming back straight, hard, and fast.

Nancy learned, adapted, and developed her own form of hitting the tennis ball. She didn't have the perfect forehand or backhand swing. Watching her approach the net was often humorous to those professionally trained.

Nancy and her garage door took it all in stride because they knew what she lacked in style and grace she made up with determination and accuracy. Nancy won her first tennis tournament at the age of 14 and she never looked back.

Over the years, Nancy played in and won multiple tournaments. She encouraged her children and grandkids to play the sport and even paid for their lessons. And, like it or not, she'd sign them up to play doubles with her in local tournaments. It all ended well because they always came home with trophies.

While vacationing in Florida, Nancy entered what was to be her last tournament, a ProAm. That petite, garage-taught spitfire played against pros from across the globe and she won! She realized it can't get any better than this. So, she laid down her racket and retired from the game. She was 70 years old.

Although tennis may have been Nancy's first love, her first romantic love was her high school sweetheart, Darel. They married shortly after graduation and settled in Findlay to start their new life.

Darel, a gifted athlete on his own, was not a tennis player, but he did like to bowl. Nancy soon took up that sport. She and Darel, both self-taught, became a force to be reckoned with on the lanes. As the story goes, you wanted to play with the Bairs, not poke or provoke the Bairs. In their heyday, Nancy topped out at 234 and Darel at 279. According to Yogi, that was better than the average bear!

But wait, that's not all. Following Darel's career path at Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, the family of six relocated to Texarkana in the early '60s. Once settled, the Bairs joined Texarkana Country Club where they met life-long friends and dove or, rather, drove into golf with earnest, and excelled.

Nancy became an active member of Women's Golf Association. She participated in many tournaments and racked in trophies and prizes for 21 wins. When she and Darel played a "leisurely" game of golf, it was always for a dime a hole. They kept a tally, so it's unknown if any money actually changed hands. It doesn't matter, because in the end it was a push.

Nancy also volunteered at the local hospital. She enjoyed knitting, cross-stitch, puzzles, and gardening. She even learned to use a computer to exchange emails, document the family history, and shop online with Darel's credit card, of course.

Nancy passed away peacefully at home with her family and caretaker at her side. Not only was she a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she was a mentor and inspiration to many her junior in both tennis and golf. Nancy's memory will forever remain in the hearts of those she loved and who loved her dearly. May she rest in peace.

A private family gathering will take place to celebrate Nancy's life.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Central Christian Church, 903 Walnut St., Texarkana, Texas, 75501, or Dierksen Hospice, 4613 Parkway Dr. #20, Texarkana, Arkansas, 71854.

PS: Spitfire, remember to let God win every now and then!

Arrangements are under the direction of Texarkana Funeral Home, Arkansas.