Nancy Noble Robertson Coykendall

Only after making sure that her paintings had been delivered to the Providence Art Club for "Our Nonagenarians" exhibit from August 6 to 31, and her home ready for upcoming visits from family, did Nancy Noble Robertson Coykendall take leave of this earth on Tuesday, July 24, where she powerfully lived for ninety-five eventful years. Nancy lived passionately and died peacefully surrounded by her devoted, eclectic, multi-generational family.

Nancy was born in Hartford, Connecticut, the daughter of Kenneth Brooks Noble and Lydia Miriam Bryan. After attending Wellesley College Nancy transferred to Rhode Island School of Design, graduating in 1941. This began Nancy’s life as a prolific artist/painter.

Painting under the name, Nancy Robertson, she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Rhode Island School of Design and was awarded the Portrait post-graduate scholarship for her outstanding work as an undergraduate. She later studied with Robert Storr, Dean of Yale Art School, formerly head of Museum of Modern Art in NYC, and Bernard Chaet. She has taught portrait painting for over 30 years. Her memberships past and present include: The Providence Art Club, Portrait Associates, Silvermine Guild of Artists, Old Greenwich Art Society, The New Haven Festival of Arts and the Greenwich Art Society. Examples of Nancy's art work may be seen at www.nancyrobertsonartist.com.

As a great grand-daughter of the founder of the Montowese Hotel, Branford, CT, Nancy spent summers and many years on the Connecticut shoreline. She raised her three children, during their earlier years in Old Greenwich, Connecticut before moving to South Dartmouth, after marrying William E. Coykendall, Jr. in 1963.

Never one to just move to a town, Nancy became actively engaged in numerous community endeavors. As one of the founders of the Dartmouth Natural Resource Trust and a board member, she was an active land conservationist and developer. She saved the historic Arnold Bliss house, which was slated to be torn down, by moving it almost five miles to her conservation development off Bakerville Road where she resided for 27 years. Nancy was a board member of the Swain School of Design and the Alberox Corporation.

Ahead of her time, Nancy learned to ski and scuba dive after turning 50 and became a enthusiastic volunteer at the New England Aquarium diving in the shark tank and giving talks on salt-water marsh estuaries.

Nancy is survived by her three children, Peter Caproni (Julie) St Thomas, USVI, Carol Caproni Hartley, Savannah, Georgia, Bryan Robertson (Pattie Garrahy), South Dartmouth, MA. Her beloved and adored grandchildren, Nicole Noble Caproni Wine, Cynthia Caproni Cassandro, Candace Caproni Daniels, Addison Caproni, Dustin Hartley, Garrett Hartley, Vincent Hartley, Laura Grennan Robertson, Sarah Noble Robertson. Nine Great Grandchildren, Stepson Heaton Robertson, Stepdaughter Suzie Robertson Emerson.

Two former daughters in law, Judith Jones, Jean Lambert and her beloved Step daugher Carol Coykendall Reed (William)

Nancy was predeceased by her two sisters, Lydia Booth and Edith Noble, and her brother, Dana Gibson Noble.

Services will be private to family yet a celebration of Nancy’s life and her art will be held in the Fall at the Providence Art Club.

In lieu of flowers, please direct donations to The Humane Society & Shelter South Coast - http://www.hsssc.org.

For online tributes please visit: www.waring-sullivan.com