Nancy Jane Bickford, 67, died Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016, at the
Wisconsin Veterans Home in King.

There will be no funeral or memorial service, per her
request. A private graveside ceremony with military honors is planned at the
Central Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in King Thursday, Oct. 27.

In lieu of cards, memorials or tributes, the family asks
that people thank the next soldier they pass for their service to the country.

Ms. Bickford was born Feb. 9, 1948, in Rochester, N.Y., a
daughter of Jane L. (Thoensen) Bickford and the late Dr. Robert H. Bickford.
She moved with her family to Stevens Point in 1956 where she attended public
schools and graduated from P.J. Jacobs High School in 1966.

After graduation from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in
1971 with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, she enlisted in the U.S.
Army as a first lieutenant.

During her Army career she was a medical-surgical staff
nurse, nursing administrator and infection control officer while stationed at
Tripler Army Medical Center (Hawaii), William Beaumont Army Medical Center
(Texas), the 121st Medical Evacuation Hospital (Seoul, Korea), Fort Leonard Wood
(Missouri) and Fort Huachuca (Arizona).

During her military career, she was cited for meritorious
service as the chief ambulatory care nurse at Fort Huachuca for outstanding
service as the infection control officer, expert logistical coordination during
a hospital upgrade and medically preparing thousands of soldiers for deployment
in support of Operation Desert Storm.

Following an honorable discharge from the Army in 1994 with
the rank of major, she retired to Sierra Vista, Ariz.

In 2004, she was diagnosed with dementia and became a
resident of the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King in 2005 in order to be closer
to family.

Survivors include her mother, Jane L. Bickford, Wisconsin
Veterans Home, King; two brothers, Dennis (Kathy) Bickford, La Luz, N.M., and Thomas,
Stevens Point; and one sister, Janice (Gary) Heikenen, Keweenaw County, Mich.