Nancy Adams Potts

Nancy Ruth Adams (Musselwhite) Potts, 77, of Wilmington NC, widow of Phillip S. Potts (d. 2021), died on November 17, 2022 at Novant NHRMC in Wilmington, NC. Her surviving family continues to be so grateful for the wonderful care the Intensive and Palliative Care Units’ physicians, physician assistants, nurses, and staff provided her while there.

Nancy was born in Angier, North Carolina on May 14, 1945 to Mary Ruth W. and Wilbur R. Adams of Carolina Beach, NC, and sister to Joyce A. Hardison (Albert), all deceased. She is survived by her 4 children: Julia Lammert (Brent), Lesle Faye Musselwhite, Sheri Chisholm (Brock), and Neill “Whit” H Musselwhite IV; brother-in-law A. David Potts and sister-in-law Andrea (Andi) P. Davis (Ray); 3 nieces: Tracy H. Kiesel (Craig), Laura Potts and Caroline Freeman; 2 nephews: Derick Potts (Kristie) and Nathan Thompson; 1 second cousin: Frances Stevens, and her sons, Jay and Henry; 4 grandchildren: Taylor Carrel-Lammert (Meredith); Madelyn Lammert; Naomi Chisholm, and Heath Chisholm; 1 great-grandchild: Theodore Carrel-Lammert; 4 grandnieces and 9 grandnephews; and nieces, nephews, and grans of the heart.

Nancy graduated with honors from New Hanover High School in 1963. She excelled in all things scholastic, was in the National Honor Society, played the clarinet, and was a majorette for the Wildcats. She loved music, dance and baton, and entertained her children and grandchildren with her tapping and twirling skills, as well as with her musicianship. One of Nancy’s great joys was resuming piano study, practice and performing in her retirement under the tutelage of Jane Davis.

After earning the honors of membership in the Rho Chi Pharmacy Honor Society in 1967 and receiving the Merck Award in 1968, Nancy completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy at UNCCH and graduated in 1968, and did so married and as a mother to a 6 month-old and newly pregnant with her second baby. She worked as a Registered Pharmacist for a variety of retail and hospital pharmacies all over the state of NC in her 40 years of dispensing prescriptions, including many years at Winter Park Drugs, CVS, Seashore Drugs, Phar-mor, Williams Pharmacy, and Hall’s Drug Store, all of Wilmington, NC. Nancy was co-owner of and relief pharmacist at Carolina Beach Drug Store from 1968 through 1971. She trained many pharmacy techs during her tenure, as well as innovated and improved many pharmacy practices and systems. In her retirement, Nancy continued to work as a part-time floating relief pharmacist around Wilmington and for Planned Parenthood. She also served as the Business Manager for Dr. Neill H. Musselwhite, MD P.A. for 15 years. In 1990, Nancy became Office Administrator of New Hanover Medical Group until 1993, supervising a staff of over 60 employees, while simultaneously serving as President of the Medical Society Alliance from 1991-1992. Under her leadership, the Medical Society Alliance won the state award for Auxiliary of the Year.

Nancy loved plants and gardening. She could not refrain from digging in the dirt. Henry Rehder, Jr’s books on Coastal Carolina gardening were her bibles, and Farmer’s Supply on Oleander Drive her favorite haunt. Line dancing at the Senior Center, a carload of flowers to plant, and a lunch date in between was the definition of her perfect day. Nancy became a certified Master Gardener in 2007 through the New Hanover County Arboretum, volunteered in their plant clinic, and served on the Landscape Committee for many years in her neighborhood of Somersett Place.

Although a fantastic cook, even serving as one of the section editors in the enduring A Cook’s Tour of the Azalea Coast (1982), Nancy took great delight in her late husband, Phil’s, culinary prowess. Early in their dating relationship, Nancy told Phil she had no intention of ever cooking again, and he said, “Fantastic, I love to cook!” It was the perfect partnership, and she relished his daily delectables with gusto for over 25 years of marriage. Nancy and Phil shared a beautiful life together, full of laughter, friends, their two dogs Duchess and Peanut, good food, movies and books, and all things UNC. She grieved his passing in 2021 deeply.

As fun-loving “Grandma Nancy,” she attended all of the music, band and school concerts, piano and dance recitals, and sporting events. As a former youth basketball player, Grandma Nancy especially enjoyed cheering on her grandchildren in their basketball games. She was always up for solving a puzzle, a New York Times Wordle or Spelling Bee, or playing Words with Friends, Cooking Mama on a Nintendo DS, or having Just Dance competitions on the Wii. She was a voracious reader and so very passionate about reading. Nancy volunteered at Winter Park Elementary School as a reading specialist to foster children’s love of reading, and served as a certified Literacy Counselor at the Cape Fear Literacy Council to help others in their journey of reading comprehension. Nancy could always be counted on to have a great book recommendation and routinely passed hers on to friends and family.

A memorial service to honor her extraordinary life, delayed by the holidays, Covid, and commissioning of a custom urn, will be held on January 14, 2023 at Coble Funeral and Cremation Service, 1155 Shipyard Blvd, Wilmington, NC at 11am, with Pastor Billy Batten officiating. The family will receive friends 10AM-11AM prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Domestic Violence Women’s Shelter of Wilmington, Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, or Planned Parenthood in Nancy’s memory.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.coblegreenlawn.com.