Nanette Lucy Mary Scalisi Keyser

"This alone I know: that we have great faith in the Heart of Jesus, and supported by Him, we fear nothing."  — St. Frances Xavier Cabrini

Nanette Lucy Mary Scalisi Keyser, 83, of Jackson, Michigan, sadly passed away on January 22th, 2026, in Liothina, Georgia. Demonstrating her indomitable strength and virtue through the very end, Nanette courageously faced advanced uterine cancer with great grace and resignation, concluding her earthly life with the unwavering Faith that marked its entirety. Nanette was a beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and friend whose devotion to the Catholic Faith defined her. It was this ardor for Christ that gave Nanette the conviction to boldly, but with love and joy, serve Him and others throughout her long, full life.

Nanette was born on June 16th, 1942, in Norwalk, Connecticut, the firstborn child and sole daughter of Anthony Michael and Providence (Ingrassia) Scalisi. Nanette was later joined by four lively brothers - Mario, Nick, Anthony, and John – whom she loved with great affection. Nanette was both a devoted daughter and loving sister, who delighted in caring for her younger brothers, pursuing her scholastic endeavors with diligence, and living her Catholic Faith with steadfast fidelity. After graduating from Sacred Heart Academy on June 7th, 1960, she joined the convent of Religious Teachers Filippini (an order begun by Saint Lucy Filippini) in Morristown, New Jersey, whose spirituality emphasized evangelization and religious instruction – a mission that appeared perfectly suited to Nanette's interests in education and spiritual formation. However, after nearly four years of discernment into the religious life, Nanette, feeling called to marriage and motherhood, left the convent to attend Sacred Heart University, from which she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts on June 10th, 1967. Following graduation, Nanette took a recommendation to pursue her Master's Degree at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and while she did not graduate with a Master's from Rensselaer, the decision to attend proved Providential, as it was there that she met the love of her life: William Keyser.

Quite appropriately, the studious Nanette met her beloved Bill in a mathematics class, and they quickly developed a deep attraction to each other. Both industrious, ambitious, and cheerful, they each found in the other a kindred spirit, who shared an enthusiasm for learning and a commitment to pursuing wisdom, understanding, and Truth. Though Bill had been baptized into the Catholic Church as an infant, at the time of their meeting, he was not a practicing Catholic (his family had since moved to Episcopalianism), but his interest in the Catholicism was swiftly rekindled by Nanette's zeal for the Faith, and through her committed example and prayers, Bill became a lifelong and fervent Catholic.

After a whirlwind courtship and eager engagement, Nanette and Bill were joyfully married on August 24th, 1968 in Norwalk, Connecticut. Prior to their marriage, Bill had taken a position with Consumers Energy in Michigan, and it was there that Nanette and Bill lived together for the duration of their fifty years of marriage, gratefully welcoming four children from their love: David Michael, Nina Marie, Lisa Therese, and Marc William.

Nanette's was a productive, fearless, and fruitful life, marked by seemingly limitless undertakings and a zest for braving challenges with fortitude and tenacity. A passionate world traveler, Nanette visited various European countries, Egypt, the Holy Land, and Hong Kong amongst other far-reaching destinations. A lover of all things Italian, Nanette cherished her Sicilian heritage, delighting us all with her Italian cookery and baking, as well as her beautifully sung Italian lullabies and songs, which unfailingly soothed her children and continue to comfort her many grandchildren. She enthusiastically embraced a variety of hobbies throughout her life – among them jewelry-making, baking, canning, crocheting, needlepoint, tutoring, teaching Italian, community theater and opera involvement, and even (perhaps, shockingly) belly-dancing. She was an avid enthusiast of opera and classical music, as well as a talented vocalist and musician herself. Her melodious voice, characteristic style (complete with signature Italian pompadour and bold, sparkly jewelry), and warm heart will be remembered by all who had the privilege to know her.

To those who did know and love her, however, the most beautiful aspect of Nanette was, undoubtedly, her love of God: a love for her Lord that fueled her life and drove her to embrace all her endeavors - and the people around her - with passionate intensity and unruffled joy. This fidelity to Christ was witnessed by her prayerful commitment to attending Mass (she was a daily Mass attendee), to faithfully meditating upon the Rosary, and to sharing her cherished Faith with each person she encountered - whether they were ready to hear it or not. Through her intense ardor for the Latin Mass and the time-honored teachings and customs of the Church, Nanette, in 1993, helped reintroduce the timeless Latin Liturgy to the local Jackson community. Following her pious, yet earnest, appeal to the Bishop, asking for the celebration of the Traditional Mass, Nanette and Bill founded the Sacred Heart Tridentine Mass Association, which has helped encourage and promote devotion to this ancient Liturgy for over thirty years and has allowed countless Faithful to experience the rich, sacred loveliness of the Catholic Faith.

Nanette is survived by her four children: David (Cheryll) Keyser; Nina (Darryl) Jackson; Lisa (David) Myler; and Marc (Megan) Keyser. She also leaves behind sixteen grandchildren: Olivia, Jonathan, and Noah Keyser; Darryl Jackson, Jr.; and Jack, Natalie, Lauralyn, Flynn, Juliet, Aurora, Belle, Marcello, Dougray, Gregory, Adelaide, and Raphael Keyser. She is further survived by her four younger brothers Mario(Susan) Scalisi, Nick (Kitty) Scalisi, Anthony (Maryann) Scalisi, and John (Robin) Scalisi. She was preceded in death by her father, Anthony, who died on October 15th, 1999, her mother, Providence, who passed away on April 9th, 2010, and her beloved husband, William Clarence Keyser, who left this life on February 23th, 2019.

Mrs. Keyser is at the Desnoyer Funeral Home where a Prayer Service will be held on Monday, February 2, 2026 at 9:30 AM followed by a Requiem Mass at St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church at 10:00 AM with Father Tim Nelson officiating.  Interment will take place at St. John Catholic Cemetery.

The family will receive friends the funeral home on Sunday, February 1 from 3:00 to 5:00 PM with a Rosary Service at 4:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Nanette's honor to the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP), an institution whose devotion to the Traditional Latin Mass was wholeheartedly shared by Nanette.

"Eternal Rest grant unto her, O Lord, and May the Perpetual Light shine upon her. May her soul and thesouls of all the Faithful Departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen."

Desnoyer Funeral Home
Family Owned for 136 Years