Nancy Jayne Thomas Kindt passed from this world into the realm of our heavenly Father unexpectedly on Wednesday, January 11, 2024, at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Indiana. She was born on April 28, 1936, in Muncie, Indiana, to Rolland Wilson and Agnes Pauline Holden Thomas, the third of five children.
Nancy spent an idyllic childhood in Selma, Indiana. Her family was known by all who were acquainted with them to be happy, loving, and welcoming. The family spent summers at their property in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Very few can boast of having the character of Nancy Jayne. She was always known by all who knew her throughout her life to be kind, loving, non-judgmental, humble, and loyal, among many other admirable character traits. Her inner loveliness was matched by her outward appearance. She was known by all from infancy to her golden years as a great natural beauty and was blessed with an extremely striking and rare shade of titian-red hair. A unique part of Nancy’s life was her close-knit group of friends she kept, the “Selma Set,” who became friends as very young children, and kept close to each other throughout their lives, up to the present day, 80+ years.
Nancy was the salutatorian of her high school class of 1954 at Selma High School in Selma, Indiana. She was selected to be a cheerleader her sophomore, junior, and senior years (only one girl per class was chosen), acted in drama productions, was a class officer, and was selected to attend Girls’ State, where she won her election. She excelled academically, being only one of two recipients of her high school class to be awarded the prestigious Storer scholarship, funding her attendance to Ball State University, where she graduated in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. She worked after graduation as a registered nurse in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and at Ball Hospital in Muncie, Indiana.
She met her future husband, David John Kindt, at Ball State University through a high school friend of Nancy who was the Theta Chi brother of David, and they married on August 30, 1958, at St. Mary’s Church in Muncie, Indiana. Nancy converted to Catholicism before marrying David, and embraced the faith, remaining a devout Catholic to the end. Her faith was the guiding light of her life. Nancy and her husband David were devoted to each other and were happily married for 65 years. They had six children. After moving around the country during David’s time in the Marine Corps, they settled down in 1972 at their beautiful farm in Lakeville, Indiana. They enjoyed all aspects of rural life, and had a large garden each year, with Nancy preserving much of their produce. They had an apple orchard and farm market, “Kindt Farms,” and improved the land by planting native plants and adding to the virgin forest with continuous new tree plantings. Nancy and David enjoyed their retirement and spent their time traveling around the country to indulge their love of polka dancing at various festivals, exercising several times a week at their local gym, and attending Notre Dame football and women’s basketball games. Nancy was a regular volunteer at St. Michael’s Church in Plymouth, Indiana, and met many wonderful friends through this ministry.
She is survived by her husband David John Kindt, sister Mary Anne Thomas Mohler, sisters-in-law Elizabeth (Betty) Thomas, Elizabeth (Bebe) Thomas, and Margaret Thomas, and children Theresa Susan (Thomas) Kulb, John Omer (Kathy) Kindt, Daniel Edward Kindt, Ann Elizabeth (Michael) Brumley, Michael Thomas (Sara) Kindt, and Mary Patricia Kindt. Grandchildren surviving her are Joseph (Allison) Kindt, Candace (Jordon) Prins, Patrick (Anwuli) Kindt, John Jr. Kindt, David Kulb, Athena Kulb, Emily (Saul) Garza, Margaret (Eric) Hayes, Caroline (Matthew) McMillan, Beth Kindt, Daniel Kindt, Peter Kindt, and Frances Kindt. She also leaves behind 16 great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. Preceding her in death were her parents, Rolland and Agnes Thomas, brothers Bradford, Gary, and Mark Thomas, brother-in-law Rick Thomas, nephew Andrew Thomas and niece Kathryn Thomas.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, from 4:30 – 6:30PM at the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan Street, Plymouth. A rosary will be recited at 4PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, January 18, 2024, at 11AM at St. Michael Catholic Church, 612 N. Center St., Plymouth, with Fr. Keeton Lockwood officiating.
Memorial contributions in Nancy’s honor can be made to the St. Michael Catholic School.
