Nancy K Bergman

She was born October 2, 1927 in Washington D.C. to her saxophone-playing father Bailey C. Kimbrell and her trio-singing mother Helen Lee Bilderback. Nancy was destined for a life of music!

Nancy married Louis I. Bergman on June 6, 1947 in Ft. Madison, Iowa where both Nancy and Louie grew up. She lost Louie in 2000, but she is survived by their three daughters, nine grandchildren, five great grandchildren, two great great grandchildren and the final love of her life—-her precious little dog Angel. She was the glue that kept this family together. She always kept in touch with her many grandchildren and she loved it when they came to Tucson to visit. Nancy was passionate about tracing the family geneology and spent years seeking out and contacting long lost relatives as well as collecting photos and stories to include in a written family history.

Nancy attended Grinnell College and majored in music, but the actual beginning of Nancy’s true destiny was about 1950 when she helped organize a Sweet Adelines barbershop chorus in her hometown of Ft. Madison, Iowa. She was soon writing and arranging 4-part harmony music, singing in a championship quartet, and inspiring other women to sing.

In 1956 the family moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma after Nancy accepted the position of Executive Secretary and Managing Director of the Sweet Adelines International headquarters office located there. She held this position for over 10 years. During those years she directed the local Sweet Adelines chorus, sang in some great quartets, became a master arranger, a Queen of Harmony, served on the SA Board of Directors, was an international faculty member, and music judge. In 2002 she was honored with the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award.

After moving “out west” in 1977 to fulfill Louie’s dream, they landed in Tucson, Arizona and Nancy continued her musical endeavors; directing the Tucson Sweet Adelines chorus for over 20 years, singing in numerous quartets, composing and arranging lots of barbershop music and even forming NancyBMusic, Inc. as a means to sell and distribute her music. In addition to this “music” career she also found the time to become a very busy real estate agent!

Nancy retired from the Tucson Sweet Adelines chorus and her real estate career during Louie’s final illness in 2000. But music and harmony called to her again, and in 2003 she became the director of the Saddlebrooke Mens Barbershop chorus! She loved “her guys” and continued with them for over 15 years until just before the pandemic halted all singing groups.

Nancy’s original composition titled “Harmonize the World” was adopted as the Sweet Adelines International theme song and can be regularly heard ringing out across the world. As this well-known song says, Nancy has truly “spread music and harmony throughout the land”.

The family will have a private celebration of Nancy’s life at a future date.