Nancy was born to Dr. Rueben Walp Williams and Bertha Mae Williams on December 4, 1933 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
After graduating from the Philadelphia High School for Girls in 1951, Nancy went on to study English and Elementary Education at Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pennsylvania. In 1955, she graduated side by side with her twin brother, Richard, earning her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education.
Nancy’s first teaching position was in Palmyra, Pennsylvania. Her subsequent career as a professional educator spanned over 50 years. Nancy taught children in Taipei, Taiwan; Okinawa, Japan; New Jersey and finally Virginia.
In Fauquier County, Nancy helped establish the first English as a Second Language (ESL) program for children from other countries. She had a successful run with Fauquier County Public Schools for 23 years until her retirement at the age 70. Teaching was something she loved, and during her career, she taught all grade levels from K-12.
Nancy also had a passion for gardening and beautiful flowers. She loved helping things grow and working outdoors in her vegetable and flower gardens. She was a beach girl and loved the warm summer breezes of the Outer Banks in North Carolina. She enjoyed touring lighthouses on the East Coast and collected many replica miniatures of the lighthouses she visited. Nancy was also a lifelong learner and an avid reader of books as well as the daily newspaper.
Nancy is survived by her three children and two daughters-in-law: Martin and Angela Saylor of Baltimore, Maryland; Scott and Jodi Saylor of Winchester, Virginia; and Jean R. Saylor of Fairfax, Virginia; as well as five grandchildren (John, Abbey, Natalie, Alexander, and Aaron).
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Teach For America (teachforamerica.com) in Nancy’s name.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, July 10, 2019 at 11:00 AM at the Oakton United Methodist Church (2950 Chain Bridge Rd., Oakton, VA 22124.)
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