NANCY TENFELDE CLASBY's Obituary
CLASBY, NANCY TENFELDE, 78, beloved author and teacher at the University of Miami, devoted wife, mother, grandmother, friend to all and fierce advocate for social justice, passed away peacefully in her sleep Friday November 4th. Nancy attended Marquette University and later earned her Ph. D. in American Literature from the University of Wisconsin, where she met a fellow student and love of her life, husband and UM English Professor Eugene Clasby. As an Assistant Professor at UM during the turbulent 60’s, Nancy developed, advocated and promoted the first Black Studies Program adopted by the University and taught the first Black Literature courses ever offered at UM. Her appetite for civil and social justice, rooted in her closely examined Catholic faith and the power of God’s redemptive love, never wavered even as her strong principles cost her both personally and professionally. Undeterred, Nancy later in life built a successful real estate practice, earned her M.A. in Scripture Studies, and developed and taught a pioneering Bible as Literature course in addition to receiving an Arsht Grant to research the civil rights movement in Miami during the late 60s and 70s, an issue that always remained close to her heart. She is the author of two groundbreaking books on myth, literature, and Scripture, countless academic and other publications, and has been awarded numerous teaching and professional acknowledgements and recognitions during her long fifty-four year teaching career.
Nancy was a devoted mother, caretaker and homemaker to her dear daughters Alison and Sarah, preparing their meals and hand sewing their clothes as she simultaneously fought to increase diversity, enhance minority opportunities, and improve the lot of employees and staff on the University of Miami campus. She never forgot her many friends from every aspect of her life, generously visiting, entertaining, and maintaining close relationships across the country that endured for decades. As selfless was her love of others, she reserved her purest love for Gene, an affair of the heart and mind that burned bright and undimmed for more than fifty one years. Nancy also leaves behind two beautiful daughters Alison and Sarah and their husbands Lance and Jerry, loving brothers Tom and Dan and their wives Chris and Mary Ann, and sweet grandchildren Jacob, Erik, Ryan, Matthew, Jamie and Jessica. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences, https://advancement.miami.edu/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?pid=191.
There will be a visitation gathering for friends and family on Monday, November 7th from 6pm to 8pm at Van Orsdel located at 4600 SW 8th Street, Coral Gables, FL 33134. The funeral service will be held on Tuesday, November 8that 10:00am at St. Augustine Catholic Church, 1400 Miller Road, Coral Gables, FL 33146. The burial will be immediately following the service at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Cemetery, 11411 NW 25th Street, Doral, FL 33172.
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