Nancy Blazina

Nancy Verne Blazina 7/19/1948- 1/22/2018

Nancy Verne Larsen Blazina passed away peacefully on 1/22/2018 at Essentia Hospital, Duluth, while surrounded by her loving husband and her family.

Nancy was born July 19, 1948 to Verne J. Larsen and Audrey I (Halvorson) Larsen in International Falls, MN.  She grew up in Ranier, MN with her 4 sisters and brother on the banks of the Rainy River.  She graduated in 1966 from Falls Senior High in Int’l Falls.

She married Bill Sheasby Jr. in 1966 and they raised their 3 children (Kari, Kristy, and Brent) in Int’l Falls and Mizpah, MN. She worked at Falls Memorial Hospital as a surgical tech until the family moved to Mizpah to live on their farm.  Bill preceded her in death in 1987. After her husband passed, she remained very close to the Sheasby family and they held a very special place in her heart.

In 1989, Nancy graduated from HCC, with her Associate's degree in Nursing. Following this, she met the love of her life, Jon Blazina. They were married July 14, 1990, and made their home in Hibbing.  She worked as an RN at several facilities in the Hibbing area.  Nancy retired from Essentia Clinic in Hibbing in 2011 where she made many lifelong friends that she cherished very much.

Nancy loved to spend time with family and friends, riding behind Jon on his Harley with close friends Jack and Berta, traveling with sister Becky, tea parties with the girls, and gifted the special people in her life with her beautiful creations.  She also liked to sew special items for her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Nancy loved her grandchildren and cherished making memories with them.  She always kept up to date on all of their events and activities and enjoyed bragging about their accomplishments to others.  Her great-grandchildren thrilled her and she enjoyed spending quality time with them.

Nancy was a warm and loving friend to many. The “girls of FHS class of 66” were a very special circle of lifetime friends and she thoroughly enjoyed spending time with them each summer. The Garden Quilters Group, another special circle, were so fun and the spring and fall retreats were looked forward to with great anticipation. The Sunshine Girls, from Dryden ONT, were cherished by Nancy.  She could make friends with anyone and often charmed complete strangers into becoming lifelong cherished friends.

Her life was filled with love, laughter and beautiful people.  Nancy loved her home and enjoyed tending to her flower gardens.  Holidays were her special season and she spent a lot of time planning and preparing for each event.  Christmas decorating took her several days… it was always beautiful.  Her two day Christmas celebrations were an amazing event to attend.

Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, In-Laws, John and Delores Blazina, grandparents Franz and Helen (Swanson) Larsen, and Harvey and Inez (Breese) Halvorson, sisters, Jeri O’Leary, and Mary Lou Zvolsky, and nephew, Tracy O’Leary.

Nancy is survived by her husband, Jon Blazina, Children: Kari Lee Smith (Johnny Williams), Forest Lake, MN; Kristen (Matt) Lievsay, Kelliher, MN; and Brent (Ashley Koschak) Sheasby, Hibbing,  Grandchildren: Samantha (Eric) Hintz, Frederick, MD; Anthony Martin, Hibbing; Amber Morales (Nate Poxleitner,) Kelliher; and William Senich, Hibbing. Brandon (Erin) Braaten, Stacy, MN and Heather Smith, Forest Lake, MN. Great Grandchildren; Alyssa and Aiden and Lillian Poxleitner. Siblings: Rebecca (Roger) Griffin, Kelliher, MN;  Brother, Lyndon (Sue) Larsen, Rainy Lake, MN; and sister Kally Herman, Blackduck, MN.  Brothers-in-Law, Mike O’Leary, Ranier,  Tom ( Pam) Blazina, Northfield,MN,  and sister in law, Jane (Craig) Graham, Helendale, CA; and many cousins, nieces, nephews and special friends.

She will be forever missed by all who had the privilege to be a part of her life.

A Memorial Service will be held: 11:00 a.m., Friday, January 26, 2018 with visitation from 10 a.m. until service time, in the Dougherty Funeral Home in Hibbing.  Burial will be in the Maple Hill Cemetery, Hibbing.