As a woman, one never really loses one’s Mom. You carry her, as part of yourself, forever. Nan Lake, left this physical world on May 1, 2025, but you can see, hear and know her through the female legacy she left behind. Her single grandson was a welcome anomaly after decades of girl power.

Naomi deGruchy, (Nan to most of the world) was the first of three children for Robert S. and Florence E. deGruchy; she was born in Brooklyn, NY. After graduating from Brooklyn's Erasmus Hall High School in Flatbush, Naomi entered Brooklyn Methodist Nursing Hospital in New York to train to become an RN. While in nursing school, she met the very handsome and fun-loving George Lake, an ROTC engineering student at the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute. The couple eloped just before George departed for his first oversees Navy tour. “Nomi”, as only he called her, stayed at Methodist, secretly married for her first year as a Navy wife, so that she would be allowed to complete her nurses’ training. Known to her classmates as ‘the Little General’, Nan excelled at her vocation and became a Registered Nurse shortly after her graduation.

Finally joining her young officer in Guam, Nan held her first nursing position. While on the tiny island, George taught Nomi to drive, once following her unseen, as she wandered the island, lost. He had quite a unique way of making anything an adventure for her! The pair soon returned stateside to Charleston, S.C. where Nan continued as a charge nurse. The Navy life suited the young couple and they traveled far and wide. When the couple moved oversees for their next tour at N.A.S. Pt. Lyautey Morocco, Africa, Nan learned she was to become a mother; a second daughter was born during their next tour in Bethpage, NY. Nan fully enjoyed being a mom and Navy wife, and put the nursing career on hold for a while.

The Navy tours next took the young family to Hawaii where they were “based”, while George travelled to and from Viet Nam for four years. Nan filled the long absences by volunteering on numerous Navy, school, community and church support groups, and as a Girl Scout Brownie leader. Luckily, while away on his travels, George sent countless unusual treasures to “his girls back home”. With the “bootie” fabrics George sent, Nan made lavish dress-up costumes for her little girls and sewed beautiful gowns to be ready for the next Seabee Ball. She even worked in miniature, creating replica gowns for the girls’ Barbie collection. No small feat.

Moving from Hawaii to N.A.S. Pensacola, Nan’s Navy wife role expanded as a Commander’s wife. She was now the supporting resource to many young Navy wives, just as others had been for her. While in NE Florida, she was chairperson of the Navy & Marine Corps Relief Society and even took a stroll on the runway for a charity auction of designer clothes at one of their benefit functions. George and Nan were both heavily involved in their girls’ various activities. As a Girl Scout leader, Nan often went camping (a labor of love for her); drove to and from swim team practices (often two a day) and spent time at weekend-long swim meets in the southeast. She helped as a bowling coach, taught swimming lessons, lined up guitar and piano lessons and taught her two little girls to cook and sew.

From Pensacola, the family moved to Virginia, where George and Nan bought the first of several sail boats. George trained his all-girl team as first mate and lesser mateys. With the girls in high school and then off to college, Nan rejoined the world of nursing. She worked as an ER nurse at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, MD, and ultimately moved to the Bethesda Naval Hospital as an Occupational Health Nurse. Nan passed on her love of medicine to her daughter Jessica, and granddaughters Stephanie and Allie.

Nan and George enjoyed their retirement in Williamsburg, Virginia. The couple played golf, where Nan was often Queen of the Green – leading the women’s field and even making a hole in one! They enjoyed contract bridge, which Nan also excelled at, earning Gold Life Master status. They entertained with many friends and continued their international travels, often with family or friends in tow. On the family front, the couple welcomed three grandchildren and spent wonderful visits and holidays hosting the family over the years. In 2016, after 25 fun filled years at Two Rivers Country Club, they moved south to Amelia Island, where they enjoyed the quaint small-town feel, the warm Florida weather, even more highly-competitive bridge and still more travel. In 2023, they celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary with an acknowledgement that their every wish had actually come true!

They were grateful for their many dear friends and fun times with family. Nan enjoyed a long and wonderful life and will be deeply missed by those that loved her. The couple will be laid to rest with military honors for George, at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

Nan is proceeded in death by her husband George Lake, her parents, Robert and Florence deGruchy and her younger brother David deGruchy. Those left behind are daughter, Laura Lake and her husband Steve Norton of Jacksonville FL; daughter, Jessica Buhr and her husband Rob, of Ellicott City, MD; and her grandchildren, Stephanie Buhr and her soon to be husband Landyn Klein of Pittsburg, PA; Allie Buhr Miller and her husband Drew, also of Pittsburg; and Paul Buhr of Ellicott City, MD. She also leaves behind a brother, Robert deGruchy, II and his wife Ronnie of Albany, NY and her beloved cousin/sis, Jane Larrick of Chesterland, OH.

The family offers a special thanks to so many people for their caring and kind friendship. It also would be an omission to not mention the dear Boxer dogs in Nan’s life: Mister Dillon, Poobah, Boozer and their last and favorite buddy, Beau.

In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to one of our parents’ favorite organizations:
US Marine Corps and Navy Relief Society
Wounded Warrior
Your local Humane Society