Nancy Jo Brown passed on Friday, January 17, 2025, at her Salem home surrounded by loved ones.  Nancy was the wife of Christine Reichert, with whom she shared 24 years, and the daughter of the late Frank and Kathaleen (Fair) Brown.

Nancy, who lived in Ohio before moving to Salem, attended Defiance College, University of Toledo and Wayne State University, earning a master's degree and becoming a PhD candidate twice in her life. She was honored as an outstanding Defiance Alumni. Nancy worked for 22 years at Lourdes College as an English Professor; she was the Language and Literature Department Chairman and the Assistant Dean for Lourdes Graduate School. She was a brilliant academic and a genuinely caring person who could find that vulnerable someone and let them know everything was just fine by touch, a look, and a perfect word or two.

Especially in her younger years, Nancy was a fierce advocate for women's rights, leaning into her feminist journey as President of the Board for Defiance Family Planning, Executive Director of the Crisis Line for Domestic Violence, and co-owner of The Yellow Ribbon store in downtown Defiance. She never lost her fire for justice and protest; she showed determined persistence toward her goals.

Nancy lived a robust life that embraced family and friends with wisdom, whimsy and warmth.  A calm, steady presence, she could light up any room with a quick glance, smile or a pithy observation.  She was absolutely happy when dancing, singing or imitating anything.  Her spot-on imitations entered into the very essence of another person (or animal or object) to recreate a moment perfectly.

Nancy had many talents and enjoyed traveling, reading, yarn art and wood carving. She taught herself how to crochet, to carve wood, and to weave – all after she retired.  Her love of adventure was encompassing trying something new, traveling to new places, playing with children and simply walking down the street to find whatever treasure she had in her grasp. It was nothing unusual for her to return home with an arm load of tree limbs, stones, shells or other treasures.

Walden Pond held special meaning for Nancy; she returned there often throughout her life.  She particularly enjoyed following the path to Thoreau's cabin and often said she felt a deep, spiritual, literary, scientific, historic and deeply personal connection with the area.  Thoreau's statement posted at the Cairn echoes her life:

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately,

To front only the essential facts of life,

And see if I could not learn what it had to teach,

And not,

When I came to die,

Discover that I had not lived."

She loved her family and was thrilled in watching her brother's children grow into fascinating adults, starting families of their own.  She eagerly embraced and loved her daughters, her grandchild and great grandchild.

Nancy is survived by her wife Christine, her two daughters Jennifer Reichert (late Fred Candelaria) and Rachel Ortega (partner William Gross), her grandchild Ariana Ortega, great grandchild Amya, her late brother Frank Gregory Brown Jr.'s his wife Deb Guilford and their children Greg and Ray Brown, Kate Dean (husband Nate), and their children Isaac and Amara.

Nancy's memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 1, 2025, at 3:30 pm at the Grace Episcopal Church, 385 Essex St, Salem, MA.  Interment of her ashes will be in the Grace Church memorial garden.  A reception will follow in the Church Fellowship Hall. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Grace 385 Essex St, Salem, MA 01970.