Madeline Michelle Nance

SACRAMENTO, Calif. Madeline Michelle Nance, 18, who lived part-time in Prairie City, died unexpectedly Dec. 13, in Sacramento, Calif. A memorial service was held Dec. 30 at Centennial Hall in Juneau, Alaska.

Miss Nance was born June 26, 1994, in Juneau. She enjoyed swimming and soccer, sang, and participated in ballet, where she excelled in pointe shoes, and danced in The Nutcracker production.

In early 2012, she graduated from Thunder Mountain High School in Juneau.

She enjoyed music, movies, cooking and baking, and was attending Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts at the time of her death. She loved, and was loved by animals. Her pets over the years included mice, a horse, fish, chickens, cats, dogs and even a chinchilla.

She spent summers at her grandmother Bonnie Nances ranch in Prairie City, where she cared for ranch animals and enjoyed riding her Appaloosa, Spot.

In 2003, she was baptized with her father in the John Day River by the Rev. Denny Diezel, with most of the Prairie City United Methodist congregation in attendance.

She loved children, and spent time playing with her younger cousins at family gatherings.

Survivors include her mother, Christine Moleski, and stepfather, Stephen Masters of Juneau; father, Ivan Nance and his partner Lauren, of Juneau; sister, Amanda (Dan) Underwood of Indianapolis; grandparents, Bonnie Nance of Prairie City, Ralph Nance of La Grande, and Wendy Moleski and Jesse Moleski, of Syracuse, N.Y.; nephew Elijah of Indianapolis; uncle, Jay Nance of Boise, Idaho; and aunt, Leslie Nance of Pasco, Wash.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Gastineau Humane Society, 7705 Glacier Highway, Juneau, AK 99801. Condolences may be sent to the Moleskis, P.O. Box 32976, Juneau, AK, 99803, or the Nance home, 3310 Nowell St., Juneau, AK, 99801.