Nancy Marie Rouse

Nancy Marie-Hélène Lisenbee Rouse, 69, died September 11, 2026 at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital.

Nancy was born August 17, 1957, in London, England, to Madeleine Žerjal Lisenbee, a native of Dijon, France. Her childhood was shaped by time spent between France and the United States.She remained closely connected to her French heritage and to the cousins, aunts, uncles, and extended family who were an important part of her life.

Nancy was strong-willed, independent, funny, and deeply compassionate. When her children were young, she volunteered often and gave generously of her time. She was especially good in a crisis. When someone was sick, grieving, or struggling, Nancy had a way of showing up and figuring out what needed to be done. She studied nursing and also earned a degree in horticulture.

She spent much of her working life as a florist, combining her creativity with a lifelong love of plants and flowers. She worked hard and always took pride in what she did.Nancy and her husband Rodney were married for 51 years, after meeting at a radio station in the 1970s. Their life together was never particularly conventional, especially in the early years, when work and life often kept unusual hours. But music was always something they shared.They loved to dance, and some of their best times together were spent doing exactly that.

Her mother, Madeleine, was a major presence in Nancy's life. The two were remarkably alike in many ways, sharing the same strong will and instinct to take care of others. Nancy was especially close with her younger brother, Serge "Skiter" Lisenbee. She took being his big sister seriously enough that the role occasionally drifted into second-mother territory, whether anyone had officially assigned her the job or not. They talked nearly every day and remained an important part of each other's lives. Nancy had a big personality and a mind of her own. She was creative, determined, resourceful, and deeply compassionate. She had a particular instinct for people going through difficult times and was often at her best when someone needed her in their corner. Nancy lived a life that crossed countries, generations, careers, and more than her share of difficult chapters. Through all of it, she remained unmistakably Nancy: strong, capable, compassionate, and entirely her own person.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Madeleine Zerjal Lisenbee, and her son, Sean "Skippy" Rouse.

Nancy leaves behind her husband, Rodney Rouse; her daughters, Rebecca Rouse Blalock and Kalena Rouse Meeker; her brother, Serge "Skiter" Lisenbee; her grandchildren; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and extended family in the United States and France.

She leaves behind a family shaped by her, countless stories, and a presence that will not be easily forgotten.