From my experience, and from all the comments from family and friends I've heard in person or through the memorial tributes - the attribute that stands out above all others is Nancy’s love for family, friends, life and all of creation. That is the greatest gift anyone can give in their life. I know that Nancy made an indelible impression on me, and apparently everyone she met. Nancy’s memory and spirit will continue with all those who knew her - but will be strongest with her family - watching over them and nudging them with love and strength when needed. With love to the entire Zembruski family. 

John Billings

I took a business trip to Amsterdam this week and on the way to the office the first morning I saw this beautiful rainbow. In Mom's final weeks on Earth, I became drawn to rainbows and I still am to this day. After thinking about this some more, I just realized why.

It's because Mom is in every rainbow. I see and feel her beauty and love in every rainbow now, and I think it's just another reminder that she is watching over us and spreading her love and light and beautiful happy energy all across the world.

I felt inspired today to upload the "True Colors" song by Cyndi Lauper onto this website. It's the song that comes to my mind and heart when I think of rainbows. And if you're visiting this site and hear that song, just know that Mom is sending you happy, healthy and beautiful energy right now. And Mom's magical energy always comes at just the right time....sometimes it's when we need it most and sometimes it's just there to give us a little extra boost of love and inspiration to keep going....to keep loving, to keep listening to our heart and to keep uplifting everyone in our life. Sometimes a smile or a couple simple words is all it takes to make a difference in someone's life.

Here's an example of what I mean by that...

About a month before Mom passed, my brother and I were visiting her and Dad at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa and it was pure and raw emotion in Mom's room. It was pure love and brought tears of happiness and sadness to everyone there. I don't know if that makes sense, but sometimes translating emotions into words doesn't fully capture the reality of the moment. This was at a time when we didn't know how much longer Mom had with us, but she was a warrior and was giving us all strength during those beautiful hours.

My brother and I slept in Mom's hospital room while we were there, and we took turns taking showers during the day at a nearby hotel. In the midst of all the tears and all the unknowns and all the hope and all the love and all the everything, when it was my turn to leave the room to go take a shower, Mom said these two simple words to me.....words she had said to me all my life since I was a little kid.....

"Happy shower!"

Those simple words rang in my head all the way to the hotel that day and I still hear them often in my head now. Two words that seem so simple, yet they have made such an impact on my life over the years. Those words and the energy with which Mom said those words embodied love, optimism, peace and happiness. And they were always so comforting to hear. Without saying it, they said "I love you. I want the best for you. I want you to enjoy today. I want you to feel good. You deserve the very best, including a happy shower right now."

That day I actually cried my eyes out for a long time in the shower. It wasn't a pure, simple "happy shower" that I had experienced so many times over the years. It was one of pure raw emotion...everything from frustration to fear to love to sadness to loneliness.

Why do I share this with you now? It's simply to give you another little taste of how special and how loving and how strong our Mom is. In the midst of a battle for her life, she still found strength in her heart to think of my needs in that moment and to say those simple encouraging words to me one more time....Happy shower!

I see your true colors in every rainbow, Mom. Thank you for all your love and for all the rainbows! I see you and feel you everyday. Your love and inspiration live on in my heart and in the lives of so many others who you have touched over the years.

I love you forever,

Matt

We visited the farm in Voluntown the day before Mom's services. We all went and Dad was with us too (Farmer Bill). It was amazing. Same owners were there that bought it from us. They were so nice to show us all around. I haven't been back for 35 years (I was 9 when we moved, if anyone's doing the math). Whenever I fix something and the kids say, "wow, where did you learn that?" I always say, I learned it on the farm. Now, Gabe and Eva know what the "farm" looks like. My impression - I felt like a giant. Everything was smaller than I remembered. And, very cool - my name was still carved into one of the closet doors in my old bedroom. And then, the room where the record player was, I remembered that room more than anything - we must have spent a lot of time in there listening to music and other sweet sounds. Mom named me (middle name) after Joan Baez' song Gabriel and Me. That room is where we danced to it often and again in 2006, when Beth and I got married - that was our Mom/Son song. Ok, that's enough for now. Thank you to whoever is reading this. I love you Mom, I miss you more than ever. 

The picture attached here, with Mom in the reflection of the TV is perfect for a brief memory share. Mom LOVED those British Detective shows on Netflix. A couple years ago, Beth and I watched "The Fall" together and Beth told Mom about it and how great of a show it was. 

About a week later, I got a call from Mom and she was so excited and said "tell Beth Thank You for telling me about The Fall - I love it!" 

It was winter time, and I didn't know exactly what she was talking about so I told her that I loved the fall too but "Mom, it's February". She just started laughing hysterically and said, "Adam you're too funny" and we talked about something else. I didn't realize until I spoke with Beth much later that Mom was talking about the Netflix show. I called Mom and said, I love The Winter! She didn't get it, until I explained. Then, she laughed hysterically, again. That was Mom. 

Mom loved Netflix in general so whenever that "dah dah" sounds when Netflix loads, I think of Mom and smile. 

In June, both my brother and I took a trip to visit Mom at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. My brother either flew or drove (I forget) from Charlotte and I flew in from Boston. It felt so good to spend time together with the four of us (Mom, Dad, Bro and I). It had been at least a couple years since all of us had been together in the same room and it was pure emotion. There was so much love and happiness (plus raw fear of possibly losing someone who we love with all our heart) in the room that anyone entering my Mom's room at Moffitt could feel it.

In every day of her life on Earth (including those countless weeks at Moffitt), Mom was a beacon of pure love and the way all the staff at Moffitt treated her was a beautiful reflection of all the love that she endlessly and selflessly gave to others. Various staff from all over the building had met Mom & Dad during their stay there, and my brother and I soon realized that many, many people there had developed a tremendous respect for and bond with our parents.

To help you understand just how unique the scene was there, virtually every time I walked out of Mom's room (especially when I was with Dad), we were greeted by nutritionists, nurses, doctors, and other supporting staff members who would ask us how Mom was doing. Then they would give us a big hug and share how much they loved our Mom and how amazing both our parents are. These interactions with staff happened frequently during the several days I was there on that visit, and many of those encounters brought me to tears. There was raw emotion and pure love all around and Mom and Dad were at the center of it all.

To say that I feel lucky to be their son is a huge understatement. I am still amazed to this day to think about how special and unique that time was during those days at Moffitt. And I am immensely thankful for Mom, Dad, and of course, all the staff at Moffitt who went above and beyond every hour of every day to give Mom the best possible care anyone can imagine. Our family cannot say enough good things about the staff at Moffitt and how amazing that institution is....and that's why Mom & Dad chose Moffitt as the benefactor for donations related to Mom's passing. Lots of good money has already been donated to Moffitt Cancer Center on Mom's behalf and hopefully, it will help lots of others to be treated and cured there too.

Mom -- you changed the world for the better every day you walked this Earth. And you continue to serve that beautiful mission of "love for all" today and with every day to come. Thank you for everything. I love you!

Matt

Mom & Dad first met on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii and that is where there love story began. It sounds like a fairy tale place to meet your true love, and in our minds it was and still is that special and magical.

If you know Dad, you know that he's an amazing "people person" with a charming and caring way about him that can make anyone next to him feel comfortable and relaxed. Well, it probably took a lot of his skills to convince Mom to move from Hawaii (aka "dream weather capital of the world") to the small town in New England where he was born and raised...where the weather is very unpredictable and the number of amazing weather days you can usually count with just your fingers and toes.

Despite the crazy weather, Mom fell in love with the people and surroundings of New England and made it her home. There are lots more stories to share of those adventures (stay tuned), but for now I want to continue with their Hawaiian love story.

My brother and I wanted to surprise our parents for their 25th wedding anniversary, so we saved up a bunch of money and sent Mom & Dad on a Hawaiian vacation to mark this special day. Attached is a photo showing the super happy couple when they returned to Hawaii for this celebration vacation. When you look up "true happiness" in the dictionary, this is the picture you see. No words needed at all.

Mom was an angel here on Earth and shared so much love and happiness with so many people over the years. My Dad, brother and I were the luckiest people on the planet to be at the center of all that. Actually, we're still the luckiest people on Earth because Mom is now an angel without boundaries. She continues to guide us and love us and support us in every step we take. Thank you, Mom! We love you!

Matt

PS: Thanks to Steve & Gail for this beautiful picture of Mom & Dad!

It may sound cliche, but Nancy is gone too soon.  She lived into her mid 70's, and that may seem like a long time- but there's never a good time to lose someone like Nancy. Although I was a nephew, she treated me with the love and kindness of a mom. When I was a kid, she was the smiling and kind face that was always happy to see me. She had the warmth of sunshine and the comfort of your favorite blanket. As an adult, she was supportive of me and so happy to hear absolutely anything I shared with her.  Nancy, I know you're in heaven having a great time- probably singing along to some Bob Dylan tunes- and that makes me happy.  

Love always,

Nephew Tony Paton

They say it takes a village. Thanks, Mrs. Z! You helped raise us maniacs and I, for one, am forever grateful. Rest well. ❤️

My brother and I were incredibly lucky to have grown up with the two most amazing parents ever. As a kid, I thought the life I had was "normal" and that most of the other kids I saw had something similar when they went home everyday from school. But as an adult, I realized that my life wasn't typical at all. It was actually a unique and wonderful childhood that was all centered around one word.....Love.

In my 20+ years of adulthood, I came to realize that not everyone was as lucky as me and my brother were to have had such a blessed childhood and loving home to return to everyday. When talking with someone who hadn't met my Mom yet, I have always described her in two simple words....Unconditional Love.

In a nutshell, that's who my Mom is and what she embodied every day with every ounce of her heart and soul and being. She shared this unconditional love with our family, friends, animals and with all living things. My Mom's presence alone was so calming and loving and happy that it made anyone in the same room as her feel peaceful, comfortable and right at home.

There are so many words you can use to describe our Mom....nurturing, positive, happy, fun, sparkly, exciting, energetic, warm, beautiful, loyal, friendly, comforting.....

...but the word that rises above all the rest and most represents our Mom is LOVE.

If there was one thing Mom taught me through the way she lived her life, it was that "Love is forever". The love that you share with anyone or anything lasts forever and will come back to you multiplied many times over. Love never dies. It lasts forever and ever. And the ripple effects from the countless acts of love that my Mom shared throughout her beautiful adventures on this planet will be felt and appreciated all across our world for all time to come.

Thank you, Mom -- for being You and for teaching me how to Love with all my heart. I miss your physical presence every day since I last saw you, but I'm comforted in knowing that your love lasts forever in my heart and soul and that you are always nearby smiling and happy and shining your love on me and all those around me.

I love you!

Matt

Mom loved everything Bob Dylan wrote. Forever Young was one of her favorites, the Rod Steward version. I was just listening to it. Here's a lyric that made me cry some happy tears.... 

"May you build a ladder to the stars 

and climb every rung

may you stay

forever young" 

I love you Mom. 

Adam