Nancy Woodman Wall, 91, of Nashua and formerly of Hollis, widow of Richard D. Wall, passed away September 24, 2019 at the Hunt Community.
Mrs. Wall was born in West Lebanon, New Hampshire on February 8, 1928 the only child of Roger French and Claire Meredith (Smith) Woodman. During her youth, she resided in Plymouth, NH and then moved to Weston, MA in 1942 where she graduated from Weston High School with the nickname “Legs.” Nancy graduated Radcliffe College in 1949 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Romance Languages as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
Nancy entered the Jordan Marsh Executive Training Program in Boston and then served in a number of roles. Ultimately, she was promoted to departmental buyer and she traveled to Europe on many company trips. She later worked for Filene’s in their children’s department. This prompted her to open a children’s clothing store, Topsy Turvy, in Winchester, MA in 1968, and later a lingerie store, Temptations, both of which she and her partner sold in 1985.
In 1963, Nancy and her family moved to Arlington, MA and then to Hollis, NH in 1976. Nancy was a member of the Congregational Church of Hollis, sang in the Nashua Choral Society, and was General Manager of the Nashua Symphony in the 1990’s. She served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives from the Hollis area from 1999-2000. She was a long-time Treasurer and President of the Anna Keyes Powers Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Over her lifetime, Nancy was an avid genealogist, tracing her family’s lineage back to the 1500’s.
Nancy grew up spending summers at Newfound Lake, working at the Hillside Inn, a special place to which she returned with her children for many years. She built a summer home in Bridgewater, NH where she continued to enjoy the Lakes Region with friends and family well into her eighties. Ultimately, poor health made continued trips to Bridgewater impossible.
Members of her family include her three children, Amy Thompson of Bridgewater, NH, Elizabeth (Dressler) Santaus and her husband Darryl of Orange, CT and Frederick “Rick” Dressler and his wife Susan of Leonardtown, MD; and four grandchildren, Meredith Santaus of Brighton, MA, Ben Santaus and his wife Olivia of Medford, MA, and twins Roger and William Dressler of Leonardtown, MD.
The family wishes to thank the wonderful staff at the Hunt Community for their care of, and friendship with, Nancy during these past difficult years.
There are no calling hours. Her memorial funeral service will be held in The Congregational Church, UCC of Hollis, 3 Monument Square in Hollis, NH, Saturday, November 2nd at 1:00 p.m. Interment will take place at East Cemetery in Hollis. All are invited to attend. Donations may be made in her memory to the Congregational Church, UCC, 3 Monument Square, Hollis, NH 03049 or the Symphony New Hampshire, Attn. Development, 6 Church Street, Nashua, NH 03060.
Arrangements are in the care of the FARWELL FUNERAL SERVICE, 18 Lock Street, Nashua. (603) 882-0591. www.farwellfuneralservice.com
