Nancy Ungerer Duval, M.D. was born on October 9, 1948 to Glenn May Ungerer and Elizabeth Elsie Ungerer in Buffalo, New York. She was raised in the Buffalo suburb of Amherst, and graduated from Amherst Central High School at age 16, having been advised to skip a grade in elementary school. She attended Vassar College for two years before transferring to Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois where she obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree. While she may have preferred to attend veterinary school, she attended the University of Illinois Medical School where she obtained her medical degree, and did a residency in Pediatrics at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago. As she finished her residency, she decided to specialize in the emerging field of Emergency Medicine and took additional training in adult medicine and critical care, becoming board certified in both specialties. She worked most of her career in Emergency Medicine at Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, Illinois and also was on the teaching faculty at Northwestern where she taught residents in the emergency room.
Nancy was a trailblazer for women in the medical field. After a lengthy screening process, she was chosen to winter over at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica in 1984-85, serving as the doctor, dentist, postmaster and guardian of the liquor supply. In preparation, she received training in dentistry, as well as survival skills on the ice in New Zealand. While at the South Pole, she became a member of the elite 200 Degree Club, an event that involves experiencing an immediate 200 degree drop transitioning from sauna to a total polar plunge.
She and her late husband, Thomas Duval, lived actively in their Barrington Hills, Illinois community for years: enjoying horses, Cubs games, and the active life of the local hunt club. They parented Newfoundland and Corgi dogs. Tom and Nancy relocated to Whitewater, Wisconsin to be close to Tom’s family and their grandchildren and were actively involved in their lives for many years. In Whitewater, Nancy worked at the U. of Wisconsin campus in the student health clinic. While living in Whitewater, they enjoyed boating, golf and bicycling. They also had a great group of friends at the Whitewater Golf Course and enjoyed going out for fish frys at 5 pm. Nancy always thought of Whitewater as a hidden gem.
Nancy and Tom retired to Sebastian, Florida. Once again, they immersed themselves into the local community and became active participants in their homeowners association and developed long-lasting friendships with their new tribe there.
Nancy was predeceased by her husband, Thomas Duval of 25 years, after a long and difficult struggle with his chronic illness. Nancy took care of him until he passed. She is survived by her brothers, Robert (Beverly) Ungerer, M.D. and Ronald (Stephanie) Ungerer, M.D. She was aunt to Natasha, Rachel, Olivia, Mary Ungerer and Mark and Andrew Ungerer. She was a great-aunt to 10 nieces and 7 nephews. She was stepmother to Tom Jr. “Beau” DuVal (Julie) and Jerry Duval (Julie) and step-grandmother to Emma, Jimmy and Tommy, Clayton and Blaise.
Nancy passed away from cancer May 3, 2024, which she had dealt with for 3 years. A Celebration of Life was held August 18, 2024 in Sebastian, Florida. A sunrise gathering and memorial was held on the dock over the Indian River where Nancy and her close friends and their dogs had gathered at sunrise every morning for years. Breakfast refreshments and a sharing of memories followed the sunrise gathering, with a dedication of an ornamental tree and engraved bench in Nancy’s honor from her friends and the homeowners association. A later Celebration of Life with Family is planned at Whitewater Lake in Whitewater, Wisconsin, where they both loved to enjoy the sunsets and boat rides with family and friends.
