Nancy Ann Svete

Nancy Ann Svete passed away peacefully on November 9, 2021. She was 89 years old. She had spent her final months of life in the loving care of Woodville Manor, in Riverside, California. Nancy Ann Burnison was born on October 23rd, 1932 to Thelma Frederika Burnison (Kreiter) and John Franklin Burnison in the town of Galion, Ohio. Her father was a teacher and football coach, and her mother was an amateur artist and school food service worker. Nancy was the second of three children. Nancy met the love of her life, Ronald Leroy Svete, in Waukegan, Illinois, where her family had moved to pursue a coaching position offered to her father. Nancy was a cheerleader at the Waukegan Township High School. After Ron entered the US Marine Corps and was stationed in Japan, Nancy's parents moved to Ontario, California where her father had taken a coaching position at Chaffey College. While on leave, Nancy and Ron married in Ontario. After Ron was discharged from the Marines in 1955, they settled in Riverside and began raising a large family. It was 1956, and they were to have five children, all of whom survive her: Susan Ann (Barton, Croton-on-Hudson, New York), Stephen Martin (w. Mindy Lawrence, Santa Cruz), Scott William (Moreno Valley), Stanley Ronald (w. Patsy, Hemet), and Spencer Allen (w. Pat, Belgrade, Montana). In addition to her children, Nancy is survived by 13 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. As her family grew, Nancy embarked on a career as a teacher. Starting at Riverside City College, she eventually earned a Master's degree from California State University, Fullerton, and taught elementary school for many years in Yorba Linda, California. All the while, Nancy remained an energetic mom and made sure her kids were involved in multiple activities: church choirs, baseball, football, swimming, scouting. She planned numerous annual summer vacations: many to spend weeks in cabins in the San Bernardino Mountains, spring break weeks at San Clemente State Beach, and others to travel and camp in parks and monuments throughout the West. This love of travel, the environment, and the outdoors was passed on to all of her children. The family visited nearly all of the western National Parks, with a particular emphasis on the Rocky Mountains and the American Southwest. After retirement, Nancy and Ron expanded their traveling together visiting Alaska, Siberia, Japan, China, Africa, and Europe. Nancy was keen on the cultural activity as well and was a steadfast patron of the arts. She regularly supported Riverside performing arts organizations, including the Riverside Philharmonic, Riverside Community Players, and Performance Riverside. Nancy was also a devout Christian and was a leader in her beloved Eden Lutheran Church congregation. In addition to serving on the Church's Board, she was a generous supporter of numerous social charities. Nancy will be dearly missed by her extended family. She will join her late husband Ron for burial at the Riverside National Cemetery. She is preceded in death by older sister Patricia (Pat Wiesemann) and younger brother William (Bill), and her parents. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to a charity of your choice in honor of Nancy Ann Svete. A celebration of life is being planned for April 2022 at the California Citrus Heritage Park. For information, contact son Stephen at [emailprotected]. Cemetery Riverside National Cemetery 22495 Van Buren Blvd Riverside, CA 92518 Friday 12/10, 10:45 am