LE ROY — Walking into the D&R Depot in Le Roy you were sure to be greeted by Nancy Nickerson.
She was well-known among the community, for her decades-spanning career, dedicated work ethic, and sheer enjoyment of running a business.
Nickerson, 90, passed away Tuesday after a brief illness.
Her passing has left a great emptiness in Le Roy and beyond, with news of her death sending the community into mourning and people sharing memories about her.
Nickerson was born on June 23, 1932 in Buffalo where she met her future husband Donald. They were married from Sept. 4, 1954 until his death on March 7, 2000.
The couple lived in East Bethany raising five children. Nancy worked for 24 years at the Red Osier Landmark in Stafford, starting as a waitress and retiring as the office manager.
However, she didn’t stay retired for long as she opened the D&R Depot in Le Roy in September 1991.
“Nancy, like some other people I have known, did not believe in retirement,” friend Lynne Belluscio told The Daily News. “The word wasn’t in her vocabulary. The word that was in her vocabulary was ‘welcome.’ And for the past 30 years that was what she did. She welcomed folks to her restaurant.
“But it was much more than that,” Belluscio continued. “She welcomed folks to Le Roy. And with that sparkle in her eye, you knew she was happy to see you. Although Nancy won’t be at the door in person to greet us anymore, I know she will be watching overhead to make sure that we feel welcome, because she hasn’t really retired. She just has a better vantage point.”
Sean Valdez, who is now the owner of D&R Depot in Le Roy, met Nickerson when he started as a dishwasher there in February 1993.
“She was amazing, an amazing lady,” he said.
Valdez said Nickerson was a remarkably hard worker and absolutely loved what she did. He said she truly loved the D&R Depot’s customers and serving people.
“She truly believed serving people was her calling,” he said. “She did it with gusto the whole time. … But a few days before (her passing) she was here working.”
Jim Thompson said in a Facebook post that Nickerson’s heartfelt welcome and love of her customers was unparalleled.
“Nancy created the spirit and magic of ‘Cheers’ where ‘everybody knew your name and everybody was glad you came,” he wrote.
Chris Williams on Le Roy Then and Now’s Facebook page wrote, “She was a wonderful lady and will be greatly missed. She was always there at the door to greet you when you walked into the restaurant, took you to your seat, came over after you got your food to see if you needed anything else and thanked you as you headed out the door. D&R will never be the same without her there but her memories will live on forever.”
In a wave of condolences, each person had a small story to tell whether they knew her from the Red Osier or from D&R Depot.
Since Nickerson’s passing, D&R Depot reopened Thursday and Valdez said hundreds have called or visited the restaurant over the last couple days to express their sorrow and heartbreak. Valdez said right now he still breaks into tears sometimes, but things will go on at the Depot because that’s what she would want.
“She would want us to never forget the customers are here. They are the reason we have jobs,” he said. “That we stay focused on that we have the best hospitality, the best service.”
From 1-6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18 there will be a Celebration of Life at the D&R Depot. Nickerson’s family will be in town and it will be open to all of the D&R Depot’s customers and anyone who knew her.
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