Nancy M. Godar

GODFREY - Nancy M. Godar, 73, passed away at 12:35 p.m. on Thursday, April 6, 2017 at Kindred Hospital at St. Anthony’s in St. Louis, Missouri with family by her side. She was born on June 6, 1943 to the late Marjorie and Lambert Hoffman in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After her father was killed in action in WWII in 1944, she was later adopted and raised by Walter E. Bensman. She married Neil J. Godar on August 1, 1964 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Alton, Illinois. He survives. She was a long-time member of St. Ambrose Catholic Church where she taught and was in charge of the PSR program. She was also very active for years with the church choir. Her love of music showed outside of church by going to the Muny every summer which was time she treasured with her family. She loved to travel and was lucky that she was able to visit her brothers and sisters in Colorado and Oregon. She was very active in Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, the Alton Children’s Theater (ALT), while her kids were young. Later, she joined and was a member of the Godfrey Women’s Club. She enjoyed embroidery, cross stitching and sewing in her free time. She began her career as a registered nurse at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Alton, Illinois. She also worked at St. Anthony’s Hospital (O.S.F), in the ICU and at Alton Memorial Hospital in medical and surgery while raising her children. She is best known for her time spent working at Dr. Thomas Morrisey’s Pediatric office in Godfrey, Illinois and later for Dr. Khaldoun Elzoobi and Dr. Gita Malur. She loved her work so much as a nurse and continued working per-diem throughout the COMPASS system (St. Anthony’s) with several different physician’s offices as well as offering shots at the VNA. She met many great friends along the way until her retirement. Along with her husband of 52 years, she is survived by one son, Joseph (Denise) Godar; four daughters, Donna (Scott) Taul, Debbie Godar and her friend, Scot Lang, Lisa (Carmon) Taylor, Cindy (Joel) Curry; seventeen grandchildren, Tyler and Ryan Godar, Nathan Taul, Kelsey (Nathan) Schulz, Jessica and Jared Taul, Ashley (Sam) McKinney, Amber (Johnathan) Jordan, Christian Shank, Sabrina and Matthew Fairless, Morgan and Sydney Giron, Veronica and Anakin Taylor, and Austin and Hannah Curry. Also surviving are four siblings, William (Nancy) Bensman, Bonnie Mills, Walter (Ginger) Bensman Jr. and Mary Lee Bensman. Visitation is from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, April 10 at St. Ambrose Catholic Church, 820 W. Homer Adams Pkwy. in Godfrey, Illinois where funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 11 with Fr. Steve Pohlman officiating. Burial will follow at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Godfrey, Illinois. Memorials may be made to St. Ambrose Parish PSR.

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Nancy M. Godar

June 6, 1943 - April 6, 2017