Nancy Cannaday

Nancy Lee Vitek Cannaday, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and cherished friend, passed away peacefully on Monday, July 22, 2024, at the age of 81.

Nancy was a native Texan born to Raymond and Violet Minarcik Vitek in La Grange, Texas on January 31, 1943. She grew up on a farm with cattle, chickens and the back-breaking task of picking cotton.

Nancy’s genuine and generous heart touched everyone who met her. She would befriend anyone and enjoyed holding lengthy conversations with people she just met at the grandchildren’s sporting events. People would tell her daughter, “I love your mother. She is so sweet. We just talked for an hour.” She will be remembered for her unwavering support for her loved ones.

Nancy received her teaching degree from Southwest Texas State University and a masters in teaching from University of North Texas. The majority of her 33-year teaching career was in the Plano school district at Hughston Elementary. She loved to see her students go to college and have successful careers. After retiring from teaching, she continued to be a substitute teacher and volunteer. She volunteered at Medical City of Plano for 20 years, at the Landmark Retirement Home, at a children’s shelter, and was an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion and a Lector for Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church. She loved playing bridge with her friends and dominos with her family. She was also involved in her bible study, bunco and book clubs.

Throughout her life, Nancy loved traveling, including Alaska, Hawaii, 30A Florida, Russia, and Europe. She even visited the ancestral Vitek family home in Horni Lidec (Moravia), Czech Republic.

Nancy is survived by her loving husband of 56 years, Jim Cannaday, daughter, Kim Lee and her husband, Justin, grandchildren Austin, Cameron and Alexis, sister, Dolores Kingery, brother, Ray Vitek and wife, Nina, brother Bobby Vitek and wife, Becky. She loved all her nieces and nephews. She was known to her grandchildren as, “Gigi.”

The family will receive friends for a visitation and Rosary from 7:00-8:30pm, Sunday, August 11, 2024, at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 2700 W. Spring Creek Pkwy, Plano, Texas 75023, in the chapel. The Rosary will begin at 7:30pm.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, August 12, 2024, at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church. If you wish to join the service via live stream, please visit: https://youtube.com/live/jz1WFxlxNyo?feature=share

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Catholic Charities of Dallas, https://www.ccdallas.org/donate/ or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, https://www.stjude.org/give.html