Nancy Ann Rich

Nancy Ann Rich was born, December 30, 1933 to John and Celestine (Perras) Rich in Portland, Oregon, She attended and graduated from Holy Redeemer Grade School and St. Mary's Academy in Portland. After her high school graduation she entered the Sisters Of the holy Names of Jesus and Mary community at Marylhurst. She remained a member for 25 years. During those years she taught grades 5th through 8th in Eugene, Salem, Portland, and St. Paul. During this time she earned a BS degree in education and Social Science.

From 1965 until 1967 she attended St. Louis University earning an MS degree in Experimental/Social Psychology. For the next year and a half she returned to Marylhurst College to teach Psychology classes. Having earned a grant for further studies, from 1968 until 1970, she returned to her graduate studies at St. Louis University earning her Ph.D. in Social Psychology. She spent the next four years teaching psychology at Marylhurst College until its closure as a woman’s college, in June, 1974.

Upon closure of the college she spent a year at the University of Oregon in Campus Christian Ministries. She returned to Marylhurst briefly as Community Coordinator of Women’s Career Studies Program; then became Director of Field Learning Programs at Lewis and Clark College. Upon return to Marylhurst she developed the Life Planning Studies program and eventually became Director of Student Services adult learners and supervised all functions: personal/career counseling and testing; recruitment, enrollment management, admissions, credit evaluation, financial aid, registration and records.

At this point, Nancy left the field of education and moved into sales and health care. Her employment included: Bernard Hadane Associates, Munter and Castles P.C., Good Health Plan of Oregon (Providence), Sunset Orthopedic and Fracture Clinic, Aloha Dermatology Clinic. Nancy retired at age 72. Her volunteer activities included those at St. Cecilia Church and the Veterans’ Administration Clinic in Hillsboro.

In 1995 she began her continuing genealogical research on her family tree. She found and met many cousins on her trips to Wisconsin, Minnesota, Florida, Montana and Quebec, Canada. Her stories and pictures recorded on Ancestry.com

Nancy and her partner of 33 years, Lucretia Honor, had their home built in Beaverton in 1983. Lucretia preceded her in death in 2007.

In 2010, she joined a Beaverton chapter of TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly). In this organization she made many friends in a new support group. For three years she served as Area Captain for fourteen Washington County Chapters in TOPS.

Nancy requested donations be given in her name to Holy Redeemer School and St. Mary’s Academy.