Obituary of Nathalie Ford Lachenmayer

Nathalie Adele Ford Lachenmayer of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina took her last breath Sunday, January 31, 2021 at 8:40am in her home, with her daughter, Victoria Stacey Thieme, and grandson, William Andrew Thieme, peacefully by her side. After having been read some of her favorite psalms and poetry, Nathalie bravely let go. The stillness in the room was palpable; the windows and doors were opened to allow her spirit to soar as on eagle’s wing.

Nathalie (as she put it, “Natalie with a lisp”) was born to Ulysses Grant Ford and Dorothy Adele Ford of Philadelphia in September 1937. After attending Penn State University for two years, ‘Lee’ dropped out with a desire to be in the fashion and design industry – not wanting to be a teacher or nurse as was the norm of her times. Blazing her own course through life, Nathalie became the Corporate Secretary for The Philadelphia Contributionship in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The “Contributionship” is the oldest fire insurance company started by Benjamin Franklin in 1752.

She remarried in 1976 to John Frederick Lachenmayer of Philadelphia. With many journeys and pleasures, the couple raised her daughter, Stacey, together.  They retired to Hilton Head Island in the fall of 2002, where Nathalie spent much of this time caring for John until his passing at the end of 2008.

For the last 10 years of Nathalie’s life, she had a delightfully, loving friendship with her dear friend and former coworker from The American Acceptance Corporation, where she had been the Executive Secretary for John J. Grauer. She will be deeply loved and forever missed by John J. Grauer — also of Hilton Head Island.

Nathalie had a skill and a desire to please. She strove to maintain friendships and to foster friendships that lasted her lifetime. If Nathalie took the time to meet you, she took the time to know you, and if she took the time to know you, Nathalie followed up and followed through in managing her relationship with you. There was always a right way and a better way and she strove to meet these ideals in her friendships.

Nathalie is survived by her daughter — Victoria Stacey — and her four children — William, Emily, Rachel, and Sophie —, all of whom saw her in the last days of her life.

Please make contributions in Nathalie’s memory to Hospice Care of the Lowcountry.

Peace.