Meet Deercreek Resident – Nancy Jantz
By Joan Hecht
Nancy was born and raised in Chardon, Ohio and she majored in art at Bowling Green State University. Following college, she reconnected with, and married her high school sweetheart. They had two beautiful daughters, Shari and Jill. Unfortunately, both girls inherited an incurable genetic disorder called Battens disease, which affects approximately 3 out of every 100,000 births in the US. Sadly, both girls died the same year at ages 10 and 13. Nancy and her husband later divorced and in 1985 she met and married her current husband, Chuck Jantz. “We were introduced by a mutual friend,” says Nancy. He said, “I have someone I want you to meet and you aren’t going to believe how much you have in common. And by the way, I’m going to be the best man at your wedding!” His prediction came true the following year when Chuck and Nancy wed and their mutual friend was indeed, their best man.
After working 16 years in advertising, Nancy retired and in 1996 she and Chuck moved to their forever home in Deercreek. They became very involved in the Deercreek community with Chuck serving on the Board of Directors and Nancy becoming a founding member of The Deercreek Women’s Alliance. They were also avid members on the Deercreek tennis team. When tennis members commented that there were no charity tennis events, Chuck met with area hospitals to determine how to best raise money for local charities. Knowing that Nancy’s mother, sister and aunt were all breast cancer survivors, Chuck teamed up with Baptist Hospital. Working under the umbrella of their 501c3, he and Nancy organized Black tie gala events, tennis matches, golf tournaments and 5k walk/runs; raising $36,000 the first year. By year three, their efforts helped to raise $78,700. In 2000, they founded their own 501c3, The R.I.T.A. Foundation in an effort to expand their giving capabilities to other local charities, (all funds collected via R.I.T.A. must stay in the Jacksonville area). Many people assume Chuck chose the foundation name after a family member who had passed, but he actually chose the name for the acronym – Research Is The Answer. To date, R.I.T.A. has helped raise $7,007,055. for local charities. And through the generous donations of local individuals and companies, R.I.T.A. has purchased 53 endowments at Baptist and Mayo Hospitals, which generate an additional $60,000 yearly for cancer research. Chuck and Nancy are a testament for the difference that two regular people can make in their community and in the lives of others, for generations to come.
What brought you to Deercreek:
“I was really tired of the snow,” says Nancy, “and at the recommendation of a friend we flew to Jacksonville to check it out. It seemed to check everything on our list. It’s near an airport, close to good medical facilities, close to water, it has some cultural activities and there’s no snow!” From the minute we landed, it just felt right.” After spending an entire week looking unsuccessfully for a new home, the day before heading back to Ohio, Chuck said, “You know, we never looked at that new development called Deercreek.” At the time, there was only one home completed on their current street, but they knew immediately that they had found their forever home. They purchased a lot and picked out a house plan all in one day. “We haven’t regretted that decision for one minute,” declares Nancy. “We love Deercreek!”
Favorite Deercreek memory:
“In recognition of our community efforts and in starting the R.I.T.A. Foundation, we were honored and humbled to be the first recipients of the Deercreek “Golden Acorn Award,” presented by the Deercreek Home and Garden club. “It was totally unexpected,” says Nancy, “but very much appreciated.”
Hobbies and Special Interest:
Nancy is an amazing artist and works in various mediums; including acrylics, colored pencils and water colors. After learning of Nancy’s artistic talents, a fellow Deercreek tennis member asked her to paint something on the wall of her home. As news of Nancy’s talent spread, others began asking her to paint custom art scenes in their homes as well. Soon, businesses, hospitals, schools, churches and custom builders were also employing her services. “Painting custom murals was something new for me,” says Nancy. “Painting was a hobby that just sort of evolved on its own into a 30-year long career.” In addition to custom murals, Nancy designs and creates greeting cards used by local charities to help raise funds and awareness for their various causes. When asked what her favorite art project has been, Nancy says, “Whatever project I’m working on at the time is my favorite project. I love what I do and I won’t end a project until I’m personally convinced that it is the best that it can be.” To see more of Nancy’s amazing work, visit her website at www.jantzartmurals.com
