Nancy Ferebee

Family-Placed Death Notice

FEREBEE, Nancy NANCY STEIN FEREBEE, Ph.D. Nancy Stein Ferebee, 63, died on February 18, 2011. She was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1947 to Hyman and Ruth Penkava Stein. In 1959 she moved to the Washington, D.C. area where she resided until 1996 when she moved with her family to Alpharetta, GA. Dr. Ferebee earned a BA in Psychology with high honors from Carnegie-Mellon University in 1969 and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Duke University in 1975. She then completed a three year post graduate program in advanced psychotherapy training at the Washington School of Psychiatry. She was a staff psychologist at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D. C. from 1975 until 1983. In 1980 she co-founded Women's Psychotherapy Services and provided individual psychotherapy to adults until her retirement as a Clinical Psychologist in 1996. Her skills as a therapist helped to improve the lives of her patients. During the early 1980's, she was an adjunct professor at Central Michigan University, teaching courses in psychology at its Alexandria, Virginia campus. After moving to Alpharetta, she capitalized on her passion for horses and equestrian activities by providing leadership to the Atlanta Pony Club and establishing her own breeding business, Through Connection, Ltd. She imported three German Riding Pony stallions to the United States and was a major influence in the rise in popularity of the breed in the United States. She was a great supporter of dressage horsemanship in Georgia and the southeast. She had many friends in all aspects of the equestrian world and they will miss her greatly. She met her husband and life partner, J. Spencer Ferebee, Jr. during high school in Kensington, Maryland. They married in 1969. She is survived by her husband, Spencer, her son, John Spencer Ferebee, III (Jay), his wife Ann Wrege Ferebee, and their son, John Spencer Ferebee, IV (Jack), all of Norcross, her daughter Rachel Stein Ferebee of New Orleans, her son Matthew Louis Ferebee of Washington, D.C. and her sister, Lois Stein Cohen of Potomac, Maryland. In addition to her support to the equestrian community, she gave of her time and energy to support her children and their schools, The Potomac School in McLean, Virginia and The Westminster Schools in Atlanta. She never missed her sons' wrestling matches or her daughter's riding competitions and made many friends with the parents of her children's teammates. She was also an avid bridge player and played duplicate bridge several times a week at the Alpharetta Duplicate Bridge Center. She will be missed by her many friends in the duplicate bridge community. In her own words, she cherished each moment of her life, often living in double or triple time. In difficult situations she looked for the positive - what she could find of the good, what she could learn, and what could help her become a better human being. Her children, husband and many friends will miss this kind, empathetic and wonderful woman who made a difference in many people's lives. Her family greatly appreciates the support and care she received from the health care professionals at Hospice Atlanta. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the financial aid funds of The Potomac School, McLean, VA, The Westminster Schools, Atlanta, GA, the Georgia Equine Rescue League, or the charity of your choice. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation Society and Memorial Centers in Alpharetta. (678) 735-5500.