Help Family Pay Unexpected Funeral and Care Costs

Ann Nakaya Pansoy, a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, daughter and sister, passed away suddenly on March 7, 2021.  Ann was a creative and vibrant woman who created three popular Etsy accounts, through which she sold hundreds of unique handcrafted items each year.  Her most popular items include the Easter Chicks shown below, which were made from Repurposed Old Quilts.  Ann was a truly generous spirit – she never hesitated to lend a hand, an ear or her talent to whoever needed it, and she distributed countless handcrafted items to her many friends, the people in their lives, and members of her community.  But her deepest commitment was to her family, including her beloved husband, Josefino (“Joe”).

Ann and Joe met on a blind date – on Valentine’s Day – 50 years ago and married only two months later.  Over the next several years, Joe served in the United States Army, which included a tour in Vietnam, they welcomed their two beautiful children and they moved from California to Oregon to raise their family (which later welcomed four grandchildren, affectionately known to Ann as the “apples of her eye”).  Both of Joe and Ann’s children followed in their parents’ footsteps and committed their lives to the service of others.  Their daughter became a family medicine nurse practitioner after 15 years as a registered nurse, and their son serves in the United States Army as a nurse manager.  Like his father, his service included a tour overseas in an active war zone.

A little over two years ago, Joe suffered a devastating stroke.  Afterward, Ann became Joe’s full-time caretaker and lovingly cared for him at home until her sudden passing.  Their children are now faced with the unimaginable loss of their mother, as well having to unexpectedly arrange and pay for their father’s care.  Given Joe’s specialized medical needs, continuing in-home care is not feasible.  Fortunately, they were able to find a placement at a wonderful memory care facility close to home, where they and their children will remain as closely connected to Joe as before.  However, the out-of-pocket costs they face until Joe is approved for Medicaid are extraordinary and will soon be impossible to maintain.

I am humbly asking that you donate to this sweet family, each of whom has served our country and/or our community in both great and small ways, to help care for Joe during the next couple of months and to help pay funeral expenses for Ann. There is no donation too small – anything will help!  It would be a lovely tribute to Ann and her generous spirit.  For those of us lucky enough to have known Ann, we know she would have done the same for us.

Thank you!