Nancy Elizabeth Vaughan

Nancy was born to Ronald and Marjorie Furrow on December 23, 1944 in Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada. Upon graduation from high school in 1962 Nancy moved from New Brunswick to Massachusetts where she attended Gordon College.

Nancy met a young Airman and the two were married on August 29, 1964. Nancy left school to accompany her husband to Istanbul and in 1966 she gave birth to her first child, Nina. The family returned to the states in 1967, first to Ohio and then North Berwick, Maine where Daniel was born.

She returned to school, attending University of New Hampshire, and completed her Bachelor of Science degree in 1977. The family moved to Massachusetts where Nancy worked as a speech therapist in the local school. In 1978 the family moved to Pennsylvania and Nancy, went to work in a nursing home as a speech and hearing therapist.

Nancy completed her Master’s in Audiology from Bloomsburg State College in 1982. Then she was employed at Hershey Medical Center as an Audiologist. After her divorce Nancy continued her education by received her PhD from Penn State University in 1994.

Nancy later moved to Spokane where she took a position as Professor of Audiology at Washington State University. During her summers Nancy traveled to Panama where she worked with children with speech and hearing difficulties.

In 2000 Nancy came to Portland to work in research and development with the National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research at the Portland VA Medical Center. Nancy met her significant other of 15 years, Craig, while working at the NCRAR.

Nancy was a free spirited and independent individual who loved to travel and found value in experiences rather than things. Her global adventures included Costa Rica, Belize, Prague, Russia, Japan, Germany, Scotland, England, and much of Europe via side trips. She loved her cross country road trips, usually solo, to visit family and friends. Nancy loved being outdoors and enjoyed being dropped off in the middle of nowhere and hiking out. Though she had little natural sense of direction, she hiked prepared with a cell phone and whistle so she could call for assistance.

Nancy passed away at home on October 1, 2015, with Craig and her cat by her side. She will be remembered by: her daughter, Nina Fierro; son, Daniel Poch and his wife Sharon; significant other, Craig; grandchildren, Connor and Talia Fierro and Carolyn, Nathan, and Alyssa Poch; extended family; and many friends.

A gathering for Family and Friends will be held at Skyline Memorial Gardens on Sunday, October 11, 2015 at 1 pm. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.