Nancy Lou Gast

Nancy Lou Gast, age 82, passed away on January 1, 2024 at the Adventist Medical Center in Portland, OR.  She was born in Appleton, WI, the daughter of Harvey W. Gast and June L. Mohr on August 13, 1941.

She moved with her parents and younger sister to Washington State in 1943 and grew up in the small-town of Suquamish, where she attended grade school, Sunday School and enjoyed fishing from the ferry dock in summers, digging clams, picking black berries, roller skating, and working in the family vegetable garden.  Nancy attended North Kitsap High School, graduating with honors as Salutatorian in 1959.  Some of her fondest memories, besides her academic achievements, were the orchestra and band concerts and parades that she participated in.  She went on to further her education at Olympic College in Bremerton, earning “Highest Scholastic Honors” with an associate in science degree in 1961. 

After college she moved to Portland, Oregon to complete her internship at Good Samaritan Hospital where she became a registered Medical Technologist.  She worked in California for a brief period, and with the encouragement of a friend was baptized into the Catholic faith at St. Joseph’s Church in Mountain View, CA in 1963.

After returning to Portland, she worked as head of the Chemistry Lab at St. Vincent’s Hospital until 1981 when she accepted a position with the Medical Division of Dupont Corporation.  She worked as the Western Region medical equipment sales representative until she retired.   

Nancy enjoyed reading, fishing, and gardening throughout her life and devoted much or her time to spiritual, humane, animal, and environmental causes.    

Not long after she returned to Portland, she became interested and involved in the work of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary.  She became an associate member in 1985, served as the codirector of the associate program for several years and in 2003 was accepted into the Holy Names Community as a Private Vow Consecrated woman.  She stayed an active member of that community until her death.

Nancy is survived by her sister Sandra L. Gast of Olympia, Washington, and her Tuxedo cat BoBe.  She was preceded in death by her parents. 

A memorial service will be held on February 15, 2024 at 2 p.m. at Marylhurst, Provincial House, 17410 Holy Names Drive, Lake Oswego, Oregon.  Her final wish was to be laid to rest “at home” with her father, mother, and uncle in the Suquamish Cemetery, overlooking Puget Sound where she grew up.

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