Nancy left us too soon and too suddenly and I don't think we can believe she's actually gone. I find it hard to think we'll never see her beaming smile again or hear her cheery American accent we all grew to know and love. I feel lucky to have known Nancy and privileged to have been her friend. She was a warm, kind, caring person, full of fun, always interested in people and had a zest for life. She was passionate and outspoken about things that mattered and always enthusiastic about books and education. Nancy became a family friend over 15 years ago when she worked at the village school and she was instrumental in getting our 3 boys reading. She had a wonderful way with children, and they loved her, she always encouraged them and delighted in telling parents about their children's progress, so parents loved her too. She continued to mentor some children through their journey into adulthood. Nancy was never happier than when she was curled up in front of the fire with a good book and a cat on her lap. She was sometimes very British, although I could never convert her to drinking tea! Nancy was well known and loved in her home village and although she was undergoing chemotherapy, she was always upbeat and positive and looking forward to the future. We shall all miss Nancy so much, but our lives have been enriched by knowing her. Ali x