A Marion woman died at age 92 but leaves a long legacy of health and helping patients. Nancy Cline was among the first graduating class of nurses at Marion Technical College in 1973. The family came together to help Nancy succeed. She had two children: Bill and Terry.
“I was in high school. I did the laundry and cooking,” Terry recalls, to help the family while his mother was in class and his father, Charles Cline, worked as an engineer at Whirlpool.
“Grandma Cline assisted her in going out to the branch. At the time there was only Morrill Hall,” Terry Cline remembers.
After graduation, Nancy started at Dr. Morgan’s office. Later, Nancy moved to Community Memorial Hospital in Marion, which was later renamed MedCenter Hospital. She was passionate about healthy living.
“I never remember a day without vitamins,” Terry remembers. “She loved health.”
Both parents also started a new hobby.
“They caught the running bug in the ‘70s. Mom ran a bunch of marathons around the country. Dad did as well along with some people in the Marion Running Club,” Terry said. “Mom ran so much and pushed herself she ended up with two hip replacements.”
Nancy and Charles graduated to riding bicycles. Nancy put her passion for exercise to help others thrive. In 1983, Nancy signed up for a bike tour across Ohio organized by local radio host and avid cyclist Charlie Evers to raise money for the American Cancer Society. She participated for 14 years.
“She felt that it would be an adventure to ride across Ohio for a good cause. It was fun to do it for others,” Terry said.
Nancy asked her friends and colleagues to sponsor her by the mile.
“They rode in April or May through Cadiz. Those are some hills!” Terry said. “They had rain, they had snow, but they kept going. It was just amazing.”
Nancy Cline Influenced Family
At the same time, Terry wanted to go to college after working on the line at Whirlpool for four years.
Nancy invested in Terry’s future by paying for Terry’s bachelor of fine art degree at The Ohio State University at Marion.
“I still have all of the receipts,” Terry said. “It was $380 a quarter. I had to go an extra year. I wanted to get out of there because tuition was going up to $400 a quarter.”
The investment was meant more than just money.
“It made me feel like she believed in me. I was a nontraditional student,” Terry said.
Nancy’s career influenced other family members as well.
“My niece became a registered nurse because my mom was such an influence on her. She recently earned her master’s degree in nursing,” Terry said.
Nancy Remembered for Giving Nature
Terry also describes his mom as not just an athlete but a fun person with a kind heart.
“She was easy to laugh. She always thought the best of any individual she met the first time until there was evidence not to trust them,” Terry recalls.
After Nancy retired, she continued volunteering. While she died November 29, 2024 at age 92, she continued to support advances in medicine to help patients.
“The biggest humanitarian contribution that she’s made is that she – like her husband – donated her body to the Ohio State anatomy department,” Terry said.
When her remains are returned to the family in 2026, Terry plans to scatter her ashes at a lake in Canada that was a favorite spot for family vacations.
“Mom was passionate about health care. The fight against cancer – it was just the thing you do. It speaks to her altruism,” Terry said.
