Obituary: Nancy L. Hernandez

Nancy L. Hernandez, of Waukesha, died on Friday, Dec. 2, 2011, at Season’s Hospice surrounded by her family at the age of 68.

She was born in Milwaukee on Nov. 20, 1943, the daughter of Walter H. and Grace E. (nee Dickmann) Charnetsky.  She graduated in 1961 from Wisconsin Lutheran High School.

Her first job after high school was with Import Specialties as a receptionist and later secretary to the president.  It was at Import Specialties that she met her good friend Martha. They teamed up for high adventure and traveled the world.  When she returned to Milwaukee she worked as a secretary at the National Guard Armory where she met her future husband Richard J. Hernandez and they married on July 3, 1976. He preceded her in death in 1990.

Nancy was a longtime member of St. Joseph Catholic Church where she was the church historian, and was responsible for the preservation and restoration of the stained glass windows that remain in the church today. She was also very community-minded and was involved with the sesquicentennial Celebration for the City of Waukesha where she spearheaded the organization of the Pink Ball, she was a volunteer at La Casa de Esperanza and was a commissioner on the Waukesha Housing Authority.

When her children were young she was a homemaker, and was active at Blair School as the President of the PTO.  Later she became a patient registrar at Waukesha Memorial Hospital working there for 15 years until her retirement in 2010.

She will be sadly missed by her daughter: Elizabeth (Isaac) Vargas of Waukesha and her son Christopher Hernandez of Waukesha, her three grandchildren: Christopher, Alejandro and Antonio.  She is further survived by her sister Joy Martz of Menomonee Falls, cousin Marilyn Schwanke, good friends: Pat Barney, Linda Hink, Barbara Kisch, Sylvia Wray, and Shirley Jones as well as other friends and relatives.  In addition to her husband Richard, she was preceded in death by her parents.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011, from 4 until the 7 p.m. vigil service. Services continue on Friday, Dec. 9, 2011, with prayers at the funeral home at 9:30 a.m. followed by a procession to St. Joseph Catholic Church, 822 N. East Avenue, Waukesha for the 10:30 a.m. funeral Mass. Father Bill Key will preside. Burial will immediately follow at St. Joseph Cemetery.

For further information, please call at 262-547-4035 or go to www.waukeshafunerals.com for an online obituary or to leave the family an online tribute message.