Nancy-Jane (Jackson) Duncan of Ashland, NH passed away on 7/31/2024 at the age of 85. Widow of Robert C. Duncan. Sister of the late Howard B. Jackson, Jr. of Sandwich, NH and the late Priscilla J. MacKay and her husband Neil of Wellesley, MA. Aunt to Christopher P. Jackson, Dale H. MacKay, Heather MacKay and Dermott Whitaker, Dana JD MacKay and wife Joanne and the great aunt to Allison and Benjamin MacKay.
Memorial Service on Saturday, Aug 24 at 11am at Holderness Community Church, Holderness, NH. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, please donate to a deserving non-profit of your choice.
Ms. Jackson was a professor of Biology at Belknap College in Center Harbor, NH. Ms. Jackson was a well loved and respected member of the Belknap family.
Tribute for Nancy-Jane Duncan, Rev. Christopher L. Drew, Saturday, Aug 24, 2024 at Holderness Community Church, Holderness, NH
What a wonderful life! I only got to know Macy in the past few years, but what I found was a delightfully profound woman full of amazing knowledge and wonderful stories from her life.
Nancy was born in Boston the youngest of her siblings and certainly had a childhood filled with the opportunity that the city had to offer. Music was an integral part of her family and upbringing. Nancy played the cello while other members of her family joined in with various other instruments forming their own mini-orchestra.
She came to New Hampshire to attend UNH where she earned both a Bachelor of Arts and Masters in Botany. She returned to Boston to teach. She met Robert and they came back to New Hampshire together to teach at the short-lived Belknap College in Center Harbor.
She loved traveling and drove across the US twice, attended many seminars in many places and took students to Europe.
She and Robert settled in Ashland where she practiced the love of botany by creating beautiful gardens with some 50 varieties of day Lillies, many peonies and several berry bushes.
She was known to walk to the Mary Robinson’s bookstore in Meredith but then again she hiked all the 4,000 footers in New Hampshire with her dog. An amazing accomplishment.
She was a census taker known for her ability to be able to get into the homes of those who were “hard to get” in the community. She did have a way with words.
As independent as she was she loved family gatherings and holidays, always baking Christmas cookies and pies at Thanksgiving where she would gather around a table filled with much scientific talk.
She was involved in her wider community as well. She was counselor at a summer camp, kayaked, ran a photo exhibit at Sandwich Fair and volunteered at the Squam Lakes Science Center and was thrilled to learn that my granddaughter had volunteered there a few summers back.
Add to all that her love of animals, reading, old movies and wooden jigsaw puzzles and she indeed led a wonderful and full life and we all got to share it with her.
A couple of the readings that I chose to share seemed to me to capture her life. Psalm 121 says, “I lift my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?” Nancy loved the mountains that she saw and climbed but she was a woman of great faith understanding that her “help” truly came from God in whom she believed and trusted.
The reading from Luke’s gospel asks us to “Consider how the Lillies grow…” Again, her love of flowers, especially lilies, truly Nancy’s heart knew the treasure and peace of a heavenly environment.
We can be reassured today that she is at peace in that special place Jesus promises us in the eternal kingdom he has prepared just for her and each of us.
So when you see a lovely garden, remember Nancy and enjoy its beauty as she did.
When you have the opportunity to see the beautiful White Mountains, remember Nancy and how much she enjoyed climbing them with her dog. And know for yourself that the Creator in whom she found so much peace and solace is there for you as well.
We were privileged to know Nancy and walk with her on her journey. May the many precious memories bring you all peace and may the embrace of a loving God give you comfort.
Photos from the Memorial for Nancy-Jane, Saturday, Aug 24, 2024 at Holderness Community Church, Holderness, NH
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.