Nadine Serels Tatum died unexpectedly on Sept. 13, 2020 leaving behind a legacy of hundreds of books, many of which she had highlighted and notated. Found within the pages of one of her Bibles was a bookmark engraved with the following quotation from C.S. Lewis: “We read to know we’re not alone.” Her books were her best friends, helping her to transform loneliness to a life filled with endless curiosity and overflowing benevolence.

She shared her love of learning with many people including members of the Gloucester County Library Book Club, with members of her Sunday school class at Bethany United Methodist Church in Gloucester Point, with guests of the Gloucester County Visitors Center, and with fellow members of the Gloucester County Resource Council and the Gloucester County Genealogy Society.

An interesting anecdote attesting to Nadine’s love of historical research happened when she accidentally discovered the location of the original 1958 manuscript of the autobiography of Thomas Calhoun Walker while perusing a social media account. The manuscript which had been packed away in an attic of a house in New York for several years had recently been put up for auction. The unexpected timeliness of Nadine’s discovery enabled the Gloucester Museum of History to purchase the valuable manuscript.

Nadine will be missed by grateful friends from Bethany United Methodist Church and Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church as well as by those who served with her in several Gloucester County organizations.

A graveside memorial service conducted by Pastor Mike Derflinger of Bethany United Methodist Church, Gloucester Point, and the Rev. Douglas Nagel of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, Gloucester, will be held on Thursday, June 3 at 11 a.m. at the Gloucester Point Cemetery.

Services are under the direction of the Hogg Funeral Home.