Nancy Mae (Sidbeck) Tahtinen

Nancy Mae (nee Sidbeck) Tahtinen, age 76, of AuTrain, died unexpectedly at her home on Friday afternoon, September 20, 2019.  She was born on April 19, 1943 to Carl and Julia (Morgan) Sidbeck and grew up on Munising’s west end.  Nancy graduated from Wm. G. Mather High School and throughout her life she enjoyed attending the “Class of 61” reunions.  Her first job was working at the Delft Munising Movie Theater.  While at the theater, a rock and roll band came to town and Nancy was swept off of her feet by the drummer Jerry “Bongo” Tahtinen.  Nancy Sidbeck and Gerald Tahtinen were married in Wisconsin and celebrated many years of marriage and were blessed with four children.  They moved around with Jerry’s job, and Nancy always had a job while raising her family.  In 2007, Nancy and Jerry returned to her home in the Munising area because Nancy always knew that Munising was the closest place to heaven.  She loved the 4th of July when her classmates and friends would return home.  Her childhood memories of having candy thrown to her during the 4th of July parade led her to say, “Don’t throw flowers at my funeral, throw candy.”  While growing up, Nancy always cherished the safe feeling of being able to run to family.  Her Sidbeck grandparents always left the doors unlocked, let her use the car keys, and had spare change in the desk drawers if she ever needed it.  No one went hungry at the Sidbeck home.  In keeping with that family tradition of love, Nancy opened up her arms and home to her grandchildren to always give them a safe place to run if they ever needed it.  She was grateful that she still felt that safe place when she was at church and knew that God was always there for her.  Nancy was a member of the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, the Red Hats, Homemakers, Sno-Eagles Snowmobile Club, and Eden Lutheran Church.  Nancy was baptized and confirmed at Eden and she took great comfort in knowing she would be laid to rest there too.

Nancy is survived by the love of her life and husband, Jerry Tahtinen of AuTrain; their four children – Pam and Kevin Steinke of Eau Claire, WI, Scott and Michelle Tahtinen of Hammad, WI, Jeffery and Melonie Tahtinen of Green Bay, WI, and Michael and Penny Tahtinen of Oconomowoc, WI; eight grandchildren – Christopher Poquette, Cody Tahtinen, Brennan Tahtinen, Daniel Tahtinen, Julia Tahtinen, Abigail Tahtinen, Chloe Tahtinen, and Landon Tahtinen; great-grandchildren – Drake Tahtinen and Leia Poquette; brother John and Dorene Sidbeck; in-laws – James and Mary Tahtinen and Dr. Dale and Alice Tahtinen, Sally and Emery Borgen,  and Susie and Fred Tahtinen-Dempster; and numerous nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents – Carl and Julia Sidbeck; grandparents – August and Mary Sidbeck; and brother – Kenneth Sidbeck.

Visitation will be on Wednesday, September 25, 2019 at the Bowerman Funeral Home in Munising from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m., and then on Thursday, September 26 at the Eden Lutheran Church in Munising from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.  Rev. Sandra Kolder will conduct Nancy’s funeral service at Eden at 11:00 a.m.  Interment will be at Maple Grove Cemetery.