Nancy May Kriek

On February 22nd, 2023 Nancy May Kriek returned to the arms of the Lord. After a short illness, she passed away quietly and peacefully at home in the company of friends and family.

Nancy was born February 24th, 1953, the daughter of the late Wilmer H. and Edna B. May of Connellsville, PA. She graduated from Connellsville Area High School in 1971 after meeting her future husband George R. Kriek when both appeared in the senior class play. They both attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania and were married on July 14th, 1973. After graduating from IUP in 1975 with a B.S. in Education-Rehabilitation, they moved to Tucson AZ where Nancy found employment at a Goodwill Industries training center. When she worked with deaf clients there, Nancy found her passion and learned American Sign Language, beginning a lifetime of service in the deaf community. She then worked at the Community Outreach Program for the Deaf until moving to Moundsville WV in 1980, where she worked for the WV Department of Vocational Rehabilitation.

After a move to Pittsburgh, Nancy became a freelance certified ASL interpreter, and began working through the Allegheny Intermediate Unit in their mainstreaming program. Her summers were spent working to achieve an M.A. Counseling – Deafness degree from Gallaudet University in 1991. She also served on a state task group to create a standardized test to qualify ASL interpreters in educational settings and taught sign language classes. She was a certified member of the national and local Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, and held several offices. Nancy ended her career at the University of Pittsburgh, working in the Department of Disability Resources and Services. Nancy lived by Jesus’ command in Mark 5:14 “..let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Nancy enjoyed travel (especially to our National Parks), gardening, crafts, pets, and reading. She also loved spending time with a whole flock of nieces and nephews, and all the friends and colleagues she had met in her career. Nancy Volunteered her time at Christ United Methodist Church.

After a private cremation, Nancy will be remembered at a Celebration of Life to be held later this year.