Spend five minutes with Nancy Bauman and you will hear two things: how blessed she feels and how much she loves helping others grow. The longtime teacher, sorority adviser, and Buckeye super-fan moved to 10 Wilmington Place just a few weeks ago but already calls her first-floor apartment “the middle of everything” she cares about. “I liked the floor plan. I said right then and there, I want this one,” she says, still pleased with her snap decision.

Buckeye roots in the Miami Valley

Nancy’s childhood bounced around Ohio before settling in Kettering, where she graduated from Fairmont High School. Ohio State was the obvious next step. “I went to Ohio State,” she laughs. Visitors who stop by her apartment now at 10 Wilmington Place find OSU banners lining the walls and a framed photo of coach Urban Meyer greeting them at the door.

From Columbus classrooms to German adventures

After college Nancy taught elementary students in Columbus, then spent a year teaching third graders on a U.S. military base in Germany. “That was wonderful, it was a growing-up experience,” she says of her time overseas.

Guiding Zeta Tau Alpha at UD

Back in Dayton she married a civilian education specialist at Wright-Patterson and a few years later their family was complete when their daughter joined them. Teaching gave way to volunteer leadership, most notably her twenty-five-year run as alumnae adviser for Zeta Tau Alpha at the University of Dayton. Nancy was part of the small team that established UD’s ZTA chapter and oversaw construction of its house. She still recalls the day UD President Daniel Curran stood in the yard while a Catholic priest blessed the new home. “It was a big darn deal,” she says proudly. 

Family, travel, and “Oma Nancy”

Nancy and her husband developed a taste for travel, visiting Hawaii several times and later hosting a German exchange student who became “like a son.” Today he and his three boys call her “Oma Nancy,” a bond that deepened when he flew in overnight to comfort the family after her husband’s passing.

Choosing 10 Wilmington on her own terms

Turning eighty-five reminded Nancy of her practical grandmother who gave up driving at the same age. Two falls convinced her to choose a community before her daughter felt the need to decide for her. She toured seven properties, looking for friendly faces and multiple levels of care. “Everybody was so pleasant, and the residents all smiled,” she says of her first visit to 10 Wilmington Place. The warmth (and that perfect first-floor layout!) sealed the deal.

Settling in with gratitude

Nancy is still unpacking boxes and waiting for a new national-championship pennant to complete her Buckeye gallery, but she already enjoys hallway hellos and short walks to meals and events. “I have been very lucky, very very lucky, and I’m grateful,” she says.

Ready to follow Nancy’s lead?

If you would like to see why Nancy chose 10 Wilmington Place, schedule your personal tour today.  Experience the friendly smiles, comfortable apartments, and peace of mind that convinced Nancy she was finally home.