Nancy Lee Gunden

Nancy L. Gunden, 75

Nancy Lee Gunden, 75, cherished mother, community member, animal lover, world traveler, and home cook, passed away on Thursday, December 16, 2021.

Nancy was born on June 24, 1946 in Pennsylvania and was a daughter of the late Harvey and Ruth Zimmerman Kline.

After a successful career in human resources and counseling, Nancy found joy in expressing herself through painting, gardening, and cooking. She had tried volunteering at the local animal shelter, but after bringing home her fourth cat, she had to concede that it wasn't for her. However, Nancy managed to find still more room and in heart and home for her two rescued galgos, or Spanish greyhounds, Anna and Norris.

Nancy loved new adventures. As she often said, "Whether you think you can or you can't, you're probably right." In her own life, this meant seeking new experiences to learn and grow. At the first opportunity, she traveled to the Netherlands to meet her high-school penpal, a friendship she maintained for life. She traveled to Asia in 2015 to visit her son Jeremy and his wife Keili. Her son's concerns overruled, Nancy spent her seventieth birthday vacation ziplining through the jungles of northern Thailand, clambering over ancient temples in Cambodia, and fishing for shrimp in Taiwan, only drawing the line at a mud bath with elephants--though she was excited to feed them!

While at home, Nancy enjoyed culinary adventures, learning to prepare different varieties of Chinese tea, exploring Virginia wine country, and experimenting with recipes alongside her daughter Erica and her son-in-law John. In everything she did, she strove for excellence as dictated by her good taste, taking great pleasure in well-prepared meals, a lovingly curated home, and a well-tended and bountiful garden.

Nancy was preparing for her next chapter as a founding member of Harrisonburg Cohousing, looking forward to sharing meals and making more memories with her new community.

Surviving Nancy are her children Jeremy Scott Gunden and Erica Gunden Guengerich, as well as her two younger brothers John Kline and Joel Kline.

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Gunden was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Harvey and Ruth Zimmerman Kline.

A celebration of life service will be held for Nancy at Community Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, Virginia on July 30 at 10:00 in the morning.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Sighthound Underground (send) http://paypal.me/SHUG, who helped rescue her beloved galgos.

Online condolences can be made to the family by visiting www.mcmullenfh.com.