Nancy Lloyd Arsenault

Nancy Lloyd Arsenault, 68, of Grants Pass died Saturday, December 13, 2008, at Highland House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. A memorial service will be held Saturday, December 20, 2008, 1:00 PM at Vineyard Christian Church, with Pastor Steve Shaw officiating. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been set up in her name at Wells Fargo Bank. Nancy was born July 17, 1940 in Henderson, Nevada to Herbert Lyle and Elizabeth Van Gordon. She has two brothers, Steve and Doug Van Gordon. The family moved to Grants Pass in 1944. She attended Grants Pass High School and graduated in 1957. She moved to Southern California where she met and married her first husband, Lance Biscoe in 1959. She worked as a telephone operator and a secretary until she moved back to Oregon around 1966. She married her second husband, Ken Buffington, in 1969 and enjoyed her time being a stay at home mom to her two children for as long as she could. During that time, she volunteered much of her time as a Girl Scout leader, PTA, (Parent Teacher Association), HEU (Home Economics Unit). About 1978 or so, she found herself alone again, but needing to support her children. She held many long running jobs; she was a case worker at the Employment office, Court Recorder for District Court, and then she became the director of the Consumer Advocate Program (CAP) at Josephine County Mental Health, for which she received a longevity award in 1996. In 1997, she married Edward Arsenault. She retired a couple of years later and filled her time with volunteer work. She volunteered at the Union Drop In Center and The Roc (Reaching Our Community) Food and Clothing Bank. She was passionate about her volunteer work. She became a licensed caregiver. She had been a member of Vineyard Christian Church (formerly known as Pleasant Valley Community Church) since 1974. Survivors include a daughter and son in law, Lisa and Scott Tannehill, a son and daughter in law, William Todd and Kim Buffington, an adopted daughter, Donna Peterson, all of Grants Pass; seven grandchildren, most of whom she helped raise at one time or another: Cory, Skyler, Jazmin, and Keaton Tannehill, Bethany Buffington and Tenaya Wheeler, and Kayla McIguire.