Nancy Elizabeth McIntyre

Nancy was born in Charlotte, NC, to Harry Squire McIntyre and Gladys Gwynn McIntyre. She graduated from Myers Park High School in Charlotte in 1954, then from Queens College in 1958, and taught in a one room schoolhouse briefly in Patterson, NC. She was formerly married to Jacob Charles Barnhardt Jr. and after their marriage in 1955, she lived in Newport, RI, Charlotte, NC and Mount Airy, NC. In her 50’s, Nancy settled on her beloved farm in Floyd, VA, for several years then began living a nomadic life and resided in various locations including Chapel Hill, NC; Marshall, NC; Hawi, HI; Waynesville, NC; Cherokee, NC; Celo, NC; and then Mars Hill, NC.

Nancy was very involved with the Baha’i International Community in her adult life and was passionate about the centrality of agriculture in the reconstruction of a healthy society. Through her work with the Association for Baha’i Studies of North America, she promoted agriculture’s role at conferences in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

To pay forward her passion, Nancy helped to create EcoAg Services, a non-profit that placed youth apprentices on sustainable farm sites around the world to learn the principles of community development and the importance of agriculture. Inspired by this work, she compiled a document called “Nine Points” that outlined a conceptual framework of preparation of service for EcoAg apprentices in the art of agriculture and grassroots community building.

Nancy was a strong advocate and activist for organic farming and clean air practices. She served as a legislative agent for the Conservation Council of North Carolina’s Pesticide Project that included testifying at a U.S. House Agricultural Hearing.

Additionally, Nancy was a talented writer and was the author of Rush of River Over Rock, that illustrates her approach to life and her story of a part wolf/dog found badly injured in the mountains of western North Carolina, the woman who gives him a home, and their relationship to the land and wilderness.

Nancy’s love of putting her hands in the soil, walking in the woods and meadows, traveling and experiencing different cultures, and creating with the written word were guiding forces throughout her life. Also, her love of old time, Irish and folk music and dance gave her much joy in her later years as did living in her little remote cabin among the rhododendrons and wildlife in Celo, NC.

Nancy is survived by her children, Gwynn Barnhardt Sullivan, Virginia (Jennie) Johnston Barnhardt, Jacob McIntyre (Mac) Barnhardt (Kristina VonCannon Barnhardt) and Caroline Barnhardt Stuart; and her greatest legacy, her grandchildren, Victor James Sullivan, Evan Gwynn Sullivan, Clay Barnhardt Sutton, Kelsey Barnhardt Sutton, McIntyre Lynn Barnhardt, Jacob Paul Barnhardt, William Meier Barnhardt, and Jesse Kuykendall Stuart. Nancy is preceded in death by her parents and son-in-law Trevor Stuart.

A private family gravesite burial service to honor Nancy’s life will be held in Hickory, NC, on Thursday, August 10. A memorial service for family and friends is being planned for a later date pending COVID status and precautions. In lieu of flowers or other gifts, memorial donations can be made to ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project), https://asapconnections.org/support-local-food-movement/donate/, in memory of Nancy McIntyre and please note to direct funds to the ‘Growing Minds Farm to School’ program that involves youth in agriculture.