Nancy Atwood Gordon Brewster

Nancy Atwood Gordon Brewster, 96 died peacefully on May 11 with her family nearby.

She is survived by her daughter The Rev. Elizabeth (Gordon) Meade of Ballwin, MO, son Geoff Gordon of Norwell, and daughter Carol (Gordon) Stone, of Duxbury; six loving grandchildren, one great-grandchild and five nieces and nephews. Her beloved husband Bill Brewster passed away in February. She loved this country and loved all the birds and all the flowers that grow between its Atlantic and Pacific Northwest shores.

Nancy was born in the summer of 1925, raised in Litchfield and Madison, CT. She graduated from Northampton School for Girls and Smith College, a longtime active alumna of both. She taught grade school at Derby Academy and in Marshfield schools.

She married Andrew Gordon in 1950 and moved to Norwell, MA to raise their three children. The family spent time in Freedom, NH where they enjoyed skiing, hiking, swimming, and socializing with friends. She and Andy then pivoted to Marsh Harbour, Abaco, Bahamas for many winters into springs, enjoying the flora, boating, swimming and friends.

Nancy was an active member of the Norwell community, including the North River Gardeners, the Community Club, the VNA Rummage Sale and other Norwell community magnets. Nancy was among the original group that conceived a Congregational Church in Norwell, signing as an esteemed Charter member of the United Church of Christ, Norwell.

Nancy moved to Seattle, WA in 1991 and immediately became involved in the Washington Beaches cleanup campaign. She continued to play a lot of tennis with friends near their home in Innis Arden, not giving up the game until age 88.

After her husband Andy died in 2005, Nancy re-connected with her childhood friend William Brewster, also of Litchfield CT. Nancy and Bill, married on July 2, 2021, lived in Duxbury tackling crossword and sudoku puzzles together daily, and enjoyed watching tennis, golf, Jeopardy and football.

Nancy loved travel, gardening, bird watching, her family and friends, and all kinds of music, especially the Hallelujah Chorus. She loved collecting things, including shells from Abaco, and clearing debris from the WA coast beaches, and found joy on the community tennis courts.

Friends and family will miss her, but she knows not that she is gone: “Do not weep for me, child of my womb. Do not weep for my life gone by; my agony, my pain. For I am with you.”

Special remembrances to the caring and compassionate team at Newfield House, to Cranberry Hospice and to Always Safe at Home, most notably Laura, Maxine, Chrissy and Guerline, for their tender care.

A memorial service celebrating Nancy’s life will be held Saturday, July 30 at 11 a.m. at the United Church of Christ in Norwell.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances in Nancy’s name may be made to the Massachusetts Audubon at www.massaudubon.org. 

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