Nancy Armstrong

Nancy (Smead) Armstrong of Hingham, Massachusetts, passed away on March 8, 2018 following a courageous battle with cancer.

Nancy was on born January 26, 1929 in Springfield, Massachusetts to the late James and Dorothy (Wise) Smead. She grew up in Springfield and spent many summers on her maternal grandparents’ farm in Buckland, Massachusetts. It was on the farm that she developed her love of horses and horse-back riding. Her grandparents led a very basic life on the farm, growing much of their own food and trading for necessities. Nancy wrote about this experience later in life. In Springfield she attended Classical High and continued her education at Mount Holyoke College, graduating in 1952 with a degree in Geology. At various times she was a geologist, teacher, ski patroller, realtor and volunteer. Most importantly she was a wonderful and caring mother and grandmother. In 1952, Nancy married Richard Armstrong with whom she had two children. During Richard’s career at Chrysler Corporation, the family had the opportunity to live not only in the Detroit area, but also in Geneva, Switzerland, and London, Kenilworth and Coventry, England. Overseas, Nancy pursued her love of travel. She travelled fearlessly to many exotic and out-of-the-way places, sometimes only accompanied by her children. In 1989 Richard retired and they moved to Grantham, New Hampshire, where they built a house overlooking Eastman Pond. Here she enjoyed many seasonal visits from family and friends. In 2006 Nancy and Richard moved to the Linden Ponds community in Hingham. During this time Nancy was active in the Linden Ponds community and made many friends. The family would like to thank her friends at Linden Ponds who supported her during her illness.

She is survived by her son Fred and his wife Lisa of Mansfield, Massachusetts; son Walt and his wife Arden of Wayne, Pennsylvania; and four grandchildren Drew, Alec, Liz and Katie Armstrong. She is also survived by a sister Martha and her husband Jerome Doolittle of Meriden, New Hampshire, as well as seven nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Second Congregational Church, 43 Highland Ave., Cohasset, MA 02025 or to Hospice of the South Shore, 30 Reservoir Park Drive, Rockland, MA 02370.