Nancy Beatrice Honerkamp passed away peacefully at her home with family and friends Monday evening, February 23.
A Mass will be held for her at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, February 28, 2026. It will be followed by burial in Laurel Hill Cemetery. After burial, you are invited to join her family at Eventful at Locust Grove, 25180 NW Co Rd JJ, Weston, MO 64098.
Nancy was born in St. Charles, Missouri to Norman John and Germaine Buerges Honerkamp June 24, 1953. They both proceeded her in death.
She is survived by one little sister, Terry Daugherty (Jim), nephews Patrick Daugherty (Julia) and Michael Daugherty, nieces and nephews Amelia, Bennett, Anna, Alice Daugherty, of St. Charles, and Godson Colby Jones of Springfield, MO, many cousins and friends.
She graduated High School from Duchesne High School in St. Charles and Police Academy. While still in high school, she worked part time at the First Missouri State Capital, then became an auxillary member of the police department.Moving to the Department of Natural Resources Parks Department, she worked at Mark Twain’s Birthplace, Bollinger Mill, back to the First State Capital, then was the prime mover in the development of Weston Bend State Park starting in the mid 1980’s.She retired from the park in 2003 and joined the Weston Police Department, retiring in 2016. She was also a tour guide at McCormick Distillery. She was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, The Weston Historical Museum Board and Weston Park Board.Memorial Contributions can be made in her name to KC Pet Project or any animal rescue shelter.
Her family and friends thank the caregivers of Focus Health Care and Three Rivers Hospice for their exceptional care of Nancy.
Tuesday morning, there were no cars in front of the home of Nancy Honerkamp on Washington Street. It was a sign that Nancy Honerkamp was gone.For the last six weeks, friends dropped in, day and night, to be with Nancy as she gave in gracefully to the tumor growing inside.At times, there were so many cars outside, it looked like there was a party going on.So many visitors that her best friend, Lynn, started a reservation list so Nancy could get some rest.It wasn’t a party, but Nancy got to do what so many don’t. She got to tell everyone who came by what their friendship had meant to her. She told people how much she loved them, and let them see how vulnerable she was at the end of her life.That was new.Nancy was one of the strongest people you’d ever meet. As a police officer, she was introduced to some of the most profane assaults on the victims you could imagine.Asked how she coped with what she saw as an officer, did it make her cry? “No. If I ever let myself start crying, I’d never be able to stop.”But in her last weeks, she did let herself cry, sometimes tears about what was to come, but mostly tears of joy because friends told her what a difference she had made in their lives.There were many Nancys. The daughter who spent many days helping her aging parents as they grew old and died. The loving sister and doting aunt.The Ranger and Park Superintendent Nancy who always went the extra mile, sometimes literally, to make certain park visitors were safe, and alternatively, staying within the law. She could be their best friend or worst enemy, sometimes both at the same time.She was just under 5 feet nothing, but seemed a foot taller when she was in full cop mode, pointing her finger at a perpetrator. Once she was confronted by a huge guy, over 6 feet and 250 lbs. When she told him he was under arrest, he laughed and said he’s just punch her out. Aren’t you scared? he asked. “No, I’m little, so I’m just gonna shoot you.” He turned around while she put the cuffs on.She took her stewardship of the natural wonders at Weston Bend State Park very seriously, running off poachers who’d gotten used to hunting the DNR land’s critters in the 10 years between its purchase and the development of the park. Later, it might have been basket makers cutting willow branches, or mushroom hunters taking more fungus than could be explained as being for personal use.Once starting on daily hike along the 3-mile hiking/biking path, she and a friend encountered a guy with a big bag of morels coming out of the woods. She asked him what he was going to do with the mushrooms, have a big fry? No, I’m going to take them to the City Market and sell them for $20 a pound (it was a lot of money at the time). “You can’t do that,” she said. “It’s against the law to sell them there.”He looked at the bag, a little befuddled, then asked “Do you want to buy some?”Her friend was laughing, and she just gave up, sending him on his way.After retiring from the state park, she started as a police officer in Weston. She moved to Washington Street and became Neighbor Nancy to kids in the area.She worked the football games, backed up ambulance calls, got to know everyone. If there was an after-hours emergency, she answered the call. If a woman was hurt in a domestic violence incident, she was there to help, even to take the lady to the courthouse so she could file for protection.Retiring from that job, she started a business making cards and other crafts, then spread her love of animals, petsitting while owners were out of town.Along the way, she made new friends. She made everyone feel as if they were a best friend….because she was.
Arrangements By: Vaughn Funeral Home—Weston, MO
