Nancy Folkerts, age 89, a resident of Windsor Park in Carol Stream, passed away on Tuesday, August 16, 2022.

Nancy was born to Robert and Virginia Wood on November 2, 1932, in Pekin, IL. Robert Wood was a Presbyterian minister in Pekin, in Humboldt, TN, and then in Knoxville, TN. Nancy graduated from high school in Knoxville and then attended Wheaton College, where she majored in Christian Education and received her degree in 1954. In 1955, Nancy married Fred Folkerts, who was also a 1954 graduate from Wheaton. Nancy taught school in Chicago while Fred worked for his M.A. at Wheaton and then his B.D. at Northern Baptist Seminary. In 1958, the Folkerts were appointed as missionaries to the British Cameroon by the North American Baptists. After a year of education classes in London, and after the birth of their first child, they headed for Cameroon, Africa.

The Folkerts served in Cameroon from 1959 to 1972. Fred worked as principal of the Baptist Teacher Training College and as North American Baptist field secretary. Most of their term was spent living in Bamenda. Nancy taught her children at home and engaged in general missionary work, primarily with women and girls.

In 1972, at the end of their third term, the Folkerts resigned from the mission field due to the illness of Nancy's parents and the desire to be with their children as they entered high school. In 1984, Fred was the Secretary for Overseas Missions for the North American Baptist Conference and Nancy was teaching at Bryan Junion High School, Elmhurst, IL. The Folkerts had four children: Stephen Carl, Mark Robert, Philip John, and David Reynolds.

Nancy's passions in life were teaching and family. She remained committed to both throughout her entire life. She was married for 68 years.

John 11:25 & 26

"Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die".

She is survived by her husband, Fred; her four children Stephen Carl, Mark Robert, Philip John, and David Reynolds.

Memorial gifts may be directed to North American Baptist Conference (NAB) which is a family of missionaries serving in churches and communities in Canada, the USA, and on mission fields scattered around the world.

Family and friends may sign a guest book at hultgrenfh.com. For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.