October 17, 2006

UM Remembers Nancy Wall

Miss Nancy Wall, associate professor of modern language (French and German) at the University of Mobile, died on Saturday, Oct. 14 after a brief illness.

“Succeeding generations of students moving through the halls of, first, Mobile College, and then the University of Mobile, have since 1969 been under the teaching of Nancy Wall,” said UM President Dr. Mark Foley. “She was teaching until only a few days before her death, and even in the hospital as her illness became more pronounced, she was concerned about arranging her classes. The kind of dedication and influence which Nancy demonstrated to her students and colleagues is a very precious thing, and she will be greatly missed.”

Miss Wall had been teaching full time at the University of Mobile, formerly Mobile College, for nearly 37 years, and continued teaching until Thursday, Oct. 5. While at UM, she was instrumental in the formation of the Modern Language Club, now the International Club, and in increasing student enrollment in foreign language classes. She made frequent trips to Germany and France, and helped plan several international trips with the UM choir. Throughout the years, Miss Wall also assisted the Murphy High School and UM theater departments with set and costume preparation.

An active member of Government Street Presbyterian Church, Miss Wall was treasurer of Alliance Française de Mobile. She was also a member of and held many offices with the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, a professional honorary society of women educators, which she had joined in 1969.

A memorial service for Miss Wall, celebrating her life and impact, will be held Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 11 a.m. in Weaver Auditorium on the UM campus. Instead of flowers, the family has requested that Miss Wall’s legacy as a teacher and member of the community be remembered through donations to the Gay/Spradlin/White Travel Study Grant at the University of Mobile, or to Government Street Presbyterian Church.