Nancy Stronach
October 6, 1916 — June 18, 2015
WILSON - Nancy Clark Stronach, 98, died Thursday, June 18, 2015.
Funeral, Sunday, 3:00 PM, St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, 202 N. Goldsboro Street. Interment, Maplewood Cemetery. The family will receive friends at 1608 Stronwood Drive, Saturday, 5 - 7 PM.
She was born Nancy Grist Clark on October 6, 1916, in Tarboro to Samuel Nash and Louise Wilson Clark. She was preceded in death by her husband of 43 years, George Thomas Stronach; her parents; a brother, Samuel Nash Clark, Jr and a sister, Virginia Clark Jenkins, both of Tarboro.
Nancy was educated at St. Mary's School in Raleigh and Gunston Hall in Washington, DC. She moved to Wilson after her marriage and became involved in many aspects of civic life in the city and state. Joining the Altar Guild at St. Timothy's she began a life-long commitment to the church. When the Reverend John Gray established the Memorial Committee, he asked her to be the chairperson, a position she held for 37 years. In addition, she was one of the creators of a memorial garden that she happily helped maintain.
A lover of botany and gardening, Nancy was renowned for her extensive knowledge of native plants, a passion that led her to the North Carolina Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill. She was dedicated to the growth and success of the Botanical Garden and soon became a director. A member of the North Carolina Wildflower Preservation Society, now the North Carolina Native Plant Society, she served as a director and was the editor of the newsletter. She supported the opening of the Country Doctor's Museum in Bailey and was instrumental in developing a medicinal herb garden.
Nancy, always interested in her community, was a director of the Salvation Army. An enthusiastic supporter of the arts, she was a frequent volunteer at the Wilson Arts Council. She was an active member of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America.
She is survived by her sons, George Thomas Stronach, III and his wife, Anne, and Samuel Clark Stronach had his wife, Pat, all of Wilson; five grandchildren: Marshall Creighton (Scot) of Edenton, Nancy Abramson (Dan) of Fairfax, VA, George Thomas Stronach IV (Devon) of Wilson, Samuel Clark Stronach, Jr, and William Arnold Stronach (Kathie), all of Raleigh. She is also remembered by her great-grandchildren; Britt Creighton, Eleanor Burcham, Porter Creighton, Charles Creighton, Daniel Abramson, Robert Abramson, Thomas Stronach, Colin Stronach, Alice Stronach, Will Stronach and Philip Stronach as well as beloved nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts be directed to St. Timothy's Episcopal Church Capital Fund, PO Box 1527, Wilson, NC 27894-1527, the North Carolina Botanical Garden, CB 3375, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, or to the charity of one's choice.