Nancy Adler Sachar, a descendant of the first Jewish family to settle permanently in Kansas City, died early Wednesday of kidney illness. She was 83.

A feisty woman who adored literature and dogs, Nancy was a lifetime member of The Pioneers, a St. Louis literary club formed in 1879. She also was an 18-year, and founding, member of the weekly New Yorker class at Lifelong Learning Institute of Washington University in St. Louis. For years, she was a docent at the St. Louis Art Museum.

Nancy Emma Adler was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. She was the only daughter of Norton Adler and Josephine Sonin Adler and attended the Sunset Hill School, an elite private girls school. She went on to attend Smith College and graduated from Barnard College in 1955. Later, she earned a master’s degree in education from Washington University and supervised student teachers for the University of Missouri at St. Louis. Nancy was the great granddaughter of Bernhard Ganz, who emigrated from Germany to Kansas City in the 1850s.

After raising three daughters, Nancy started her own company, LegalEase, delivering subpoenas and serving process for attorneys in the St. Louis area. She frequently donned unusual hats, and even labeled her car a floral delivery service, to avoid suspicion by individuals she sought to serve.

Nancy is survived by her brother, Jim, of Los Angeles; three daughters, Emily Sachar of New York City; Sally Sachar of Chicago; and Ann Sachar of St. Louis. She is also survived by eight grandchildren: Amy and Caroline Wasterlain; Benjamin, Elena and Marion Muller; and Lucy, Daniel and Cece Cohen.

Services will be held at Berger Memorial Chapel, 9430 Olive Boulevard, in St. Louis at noon on Monday, June 19. The family will welcome guests for a light lunch at Ann’s home, 815 South Bemiston in Clayton, at 2 p.m. Monday. The family will also welcome visitors from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Ann’s home on Monday evening.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Lifelong Learning Institute of Washington University of St. Louis, 9 N. Jackson, St. Louis, MO 63105. For more information, visit www.bergermemorialchapel.com. BERGER MEMORIAL SERVICE