Nancy D. Eckstrom, 77, of Middlebourne, W.Va., a former resident of Bradford and Mount Jewett, died late Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020, of complications resulting from a long battle with cancer in Bradford Manor.
She was born March 19, 1943, in Washington, D.C., a daughter of the late Richard and Vera Patricia Korobkoff Dow.
Nancy spent her childhood years in Lexington, Mass., before her family moved to Amherst, N.Y. She graduated from Amherst High School in 1960, and attended classes at the University at Buffalo before marrying her high school sweetheart, the late Peter M. Eckstrom Sr., in 1961.
While raising four children in the Toledo, Ohio area, she attended the University of Toledo and earned her degree in sociology in the early 1970s, graduating with honors. While a student, she was instrumental in establishing a childcare center on the UT campus — one of the first of its kind at a four-year institution in the country.
Taking up sales, she was one of the first women — if not the first — to work in the competitive car sales market in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. She later worked other sales jobs and also earned an associate’s degree in mechanical engineering at UT’s Community & Technical School. A talented artist, she also studied in the fine arts program offered jointly by UT and the Toledo Museum of Art, taking part in work-study in New York City.
Nancy was an avid reader, skilled gardener and enjoyed classical music, opera and Broadway musicals, having played prominent roles in elaborate student productions at Amherst High. She sang as a soloist and choir member at churches she attended.
In 1989, she moved to Mount Jewett, where her husband had roots, and continued to work on gardening and art projects. She was involved in organizing Mount Jewett’s annual Swedish Festival and operated an art gallery and frame shop with her daughter. She also was involved with a group that urged the state of Pennsylvania to fund restorative work on the Kinzua Bridge and to feature Kinzua Bridge State Park more prominently as an important attraction in the region. She later moved to Bradford and worked at Keystone Powdered Metal Co. in Lewis Run.
In 2004, she moved to Middlebourne with her partner, Virgil Canfield, formerly of Farmers Valley, in part seeking a longer garden season and less snow. They were married Jan. 15, 2009.
A woman of strong faith, Nancy was very active in the Catholic Church, from Little Flower Parish in Toledo, to St. Joseph’s Church in Mount Jewett to Holy Rosary Church in Sistersville, W.Va.
In addition to her husband, Virgil, she is survived by four children, Patricia A. Eckstrom of Bradford, Judy Noble of Holly, Mich., James A. (Angela) Eckstrom of Olean and Peter M. (Stephanie) Eckstrom Jr. of Mount Jewett; a stepdaughter, Barb (Bob) Dewyer of Smethport; six grandchildren; four siblings, Carolyn (Toshi) Gibson of San Diego, Calif., Rick (Donna) Dow of Bethlehem, Pa., Peter (Susan) Dow of Exeter, N.H., and Ellen Pease of Arlington, Mass.; and several nieces and nephews.
A private memorial service will be held by the family.
Memorials, if desired, may be sent to the Tyler County Public Library, 300 Broad St., P.O. Box 124, Middlebourne, WV, 26149.