Nancy G. Risdon

August 8, 1926  –  November 2, 2024

Nancy G. Risdon

Nancy G. Risdon of Seattle, Washington, passed peacefully in her home on November 2, 2024, at age 98.  She was born Nancy Greenleaf Garfield in Burlington, Iowa, to Elizabeth and Ernest Garfield in 1926. Later in life, she changed her middle name to Garfield.

Growing up, she primarily lived in Iowa and spent her summers at the family home on Gerrish Island outside of Kittery Point, Maine. She attended high school in Burlington and went on to study art at the Boston School of Fine Arts. She later attended the New England Conservatory of Music, where she studied voice and opera. It is there she met her husband-to-be, Howard Fields Risdon, Jr.  They married on September 1, 1951, and eventually moved to Seattle in 1955 where two daughters, Linde and Claudia, were born. Nancy remained with her daughters in Seattle after the marriage was dissolved in 1960.

Nancy initially supported her family with her continued work in the arts, selling her works and teaching classes.  For a time, she worked in TV doing gesture drawings as fillers between shows on PBS. Later, she transitioned to a career as a librarian, beginning as a clerk in the Rare Books Collection in Suzzallo Library at the University of Washington in Seattle. She also worked in libraries at Ballard High School and then at Seattle Pacific University until her retirement.

While at Ballard High School, Nancy met Paul Bollman who became the love of her life.  They shared many years together preceding his death from Alzheimer’s in 2017. She missed him terribly in the years following and would often speak of her dreams where she was with him.

In 2006, Nancy moved from the long-time family home on Queen Anne to Ballard Landmark. She made friends quickly and the staff and residents enjoyed her warm and welcoming personality. She appreciated the care she received from so many.

Nancy was a fun-loving, generous friend and mother and she welcomed many to stay in her home. Some were going through challenging times, while others were attending college or seeking medical support in Seattle, and some were simply passing through. The house was always full of joy and laughter, with large gatherings and celebrations common. Many have kept in touch through the years and are counted as family.

The fundamental elements of Nancy’s life illustrate the person she was: her love of family and friends, her joy in creating (not just in art and music, but also in nurturing the creative spirit in others), her sense of adventure, her love of nature and the outdoors, her passion for the arts, and her belief in life-long learning. She made sure to instill these in her daughters and she provided them with many opportunities for exploring, travelling, and creating, whether it was at home, camping in the San Juans, spending summers at the family home in Maine, or hiding out in the basement playing with her professional art supplies.

Following a stroke in mid-October, Nancy’s health deteriorated. The stroke affected her speech, but her spirits remained bright. She continued to tell great stories and was happy to be in the company of family and friends through her last days.

She is survived by her two daughters Linde Risdon (Bob Miller) and Claudia Cooley (Randy Lippold), her niece Sue Mangers, Nephews Peter DeMund, Steve Constantini, and Jonathan Cunningham; and many extended family members and friends.  She will be deeply missed.