Nancy Ann Hunzinger-Broeder has taken her last journey to her everlasting life.
Born in Davenport Iowa, on Thursday Dec. 8 1932, and departed on Thursday May 12, 2022.
As the child’s rhyme goes “Thursday’s child has far to go…” Nancy certainly lived like that.
Nancy enjoyed travel not only in North America but internationally on most all continents with an emphasis on the Middle East. She did this while following her passion as an archeologist. She was also fond of bird watching and enjoyed all the wonders nature had to offer.
Nancy spent her childhood where she was born in Davenport, Iowa. She started her college studies at Iowa State University before traveling to see the excitement that New York City had to offer in the 50’s where she first settled to raise a family with William Giragosian. After remarrying in the mid 60’s to Robert Broeder she moved to Istanbul, Turkey along the Bosporus in the late 60’s where her late son Scott was born. Settling in Greenwich upon returning to the United States and as her children were getting older she began to pursue her calling to archeology and anthropology first in North America, including locally in Stamford, CT at early American Indian sites, before turning her attention internationally.
Nancy continued her education not only stateside but also internationally studying in Jerusalem amongst other places. She ultimately earned her ‘Master in Arts and Religion’ degree from Yale Divinity School in New Haven, CT. During this timeframe she traveled to and worked at many archeological sites, “digs,” in the Middle East with an emphasis on Jordan. She would tell tales of ‘roughing it’ by sleeping on the ground with minimal amenities and staying at locations like Kerak Castle in southern Jordan. Nancy was active in ACOR, American Center for Oriental Research as she spent time studying and immersing herself in other religions, even making pilgrimage to Mecca. No small feat for a woman.
Nancy ultimately published a book on archeological items recovered during excavations titled ’19 Jewelry and Ornaments’ which evolved from the dig at Bab edh-Dhra.
Nancy was an elected member of the ‘Society of Women Geographers’ where she shared her knowledge to create a positive impact towards human culture and nature among many other causes.
While stateside, not to be one to stay still, she was a volunteer of the national chapter of PVS, Prisoner Visitation and Support, where she would visit with federal prisoners who at times had no other visitation. She developed caring relationships with them, writing to them often. This organization was dear to her heart and soul, as she looked upon it as Jesus said, (Matthew 25:36, 40) “I was in prison and you came to visit me…. I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Nancy made her home in her later years between Lighthouse Point, FL, where she spent time as a teenager at her condominium, she loved Florida, and her home on the Mississippi river just south of Princeton where she spent summers relaxing and enjoying life on the river.
Nancy is predeceased by her late husband Robert E. Broeder, and her son Scott Andrew Broeder.
She is survived by her children: Victoria Ann Burns, Patricia (Mike Bieszczak) Neverman, David and wife Jodie Giragosian, Surviving grandchildren (Victoria’s children): Gretchen and husband John Fasoli, Clifford Burns, Thomas and wife Natasha Burns III and great-grandchild Owen Heffron. Surviving grandchildren (Patricia’s children): Jessica Janice Bays, William (Alyssa Lawman) Neverman, Hannah (Clinton Eyong) Neverman, Michael (Rebecca Tregubov) Neverman, and great-grandchildren Madalyn Bays, Danica Bays, Liam Hlavaty and Isla Neverman. Surviving grandchildren (David’s children): Robert (Carrie Tremlett) Noble, Timothy Noble, Jeffery Noble, Christian and wife Madison Giragosian and greatgrandchildren Bryan Noble and Lucas Giragosian. Additionally, stepchildren Pam Givens, Donna Madsen, Brad Broeder and their families.
As mom would fondly say ending our conversations, “That’s all she wrote.”
