Nancy Hathaway Hunt Herron

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Nancy Hathaway Hunt Herron on June 6, 2023. She was 82. Nancy was born May 21, 1941 in Sanford, ME to Elizabeth C. MacKay Hunt and Dr. John W. Hunt, Sr. Soon after the birth of her beloved brothers John and Lloyd, Nancy’s mother divorced and was remarried in 1948 to Russell G. Johnson, who became her devoted dad. From an early age, family was always the main focus of Nancy’s life. She enjoyed celebrating holidays and milestones with family members, including her cousins Mary, Tom, and Jim Young. During Nancy’s youth, the family enjoyed a number of camping trips, the most memorable being a 5-week trek to Alaska in 1955 on less than $700. Nancy was an excellent student at Sanford High School and participated in many extracurricular activities, including serving as school newspaper editor and cheerleading squad captain. Nancy went on to attend Nasson College on full scholarship. After graduation, she worked several jobs in Maine, ultimately taking an administrative job at Sprague Electric where she met the love of her life, Dick. They were married in 1969. Their children, Chris and Mary, were born in 1971 and 1974, respectively. Nancy was a truly devoted mother. She filled the home with her love. After living in Sanford, Nancy and the family moved to Bennington VT, Nashua NH, and finally Coventry RI. Nancy made loyal lifelong friends wherever she went. She dedicated time to frequent correspondence with friends and family, regularly sending cards, letters, and handmade gifts. Nancy was also a dedicated lifelong archivist, filling 60 three-inch binders with family photos, most of them meticulously captioned with names, dates and locations. Nancy enjoyed road trips. She was an expert navigator and loved “Mystery Rides,” family trips to secret destinations that often included ice cream. She was active with her craft hobbies, taking after her gifted mother and grandmothers. Nancy felt a spiritual connection to the natural world. She loved flowers and birds, especially her little juncos. And she maintained an extensive collection of potted plants, including numerous African Violets. Nancy had a fondness for her cats Cookie, TG, PJ, Petey, and Paulie. She later became a dog lover and grandparent too. Nancy had a great sense of humor; she was always quick with a laugh that was contagious to all around her. The facts of Nancy’s life do not capture her unimpeachable character. She listened more than she talked. She enthusiastically supported other people’s interests. She was empathetic, always considerate of the feelings of others. She was so very thoughtful. She was soft-spoken, but strong, resilient and determined, like so many in her maternal line. Everyone who knew her can testify to the positive impact she had on their lives, in ways big and small. With her generous spirit, Nancy was a giver in everything she did. Nancy was a treasure of a human being. We will miss her dearly. A memorial service for Nancy will be held on Thursday June 15, 2023 at the Cornerstone of Faith United Methodist Church, 1081 Main Street, Coventry, RI, 02816. Gathering begins at 10:00 a.m., Church service starts at 11:00 a.m.. In lieu of flowers, donations in Nancy’s name can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, or to the church. Thank you to Mary’s partner Dale Walker and Chris’ partner Megan Erskine for their ongoing support.