Nancy Susan Dworman

Nancy Susan Dworman passed away Thursday morning peacefully at Mass General Hospital. At her bedside were her husband Ralph, daughter Dara and son Matthew. Besides her husband Ralph Dworman, she leaves her son Matthew Dworman and daughter-in-law Jo Ann and two grandsons, Gabryel Dworman and Benjamin Gordon of East Kingston, NH; her daughter Dara Dworman and son-in-law Jeff Dorman, of Los Angeles, CA; a brother Marc Greenberg and sister-in-law Renee of Salt Lake City, and many cousins, nieces and nephews. She was the daughter of Simon and Mary (Silver) Greenberg of Worcester, MA. She resided in Worcester for most of her life, and recently moved to Ogunuit, ME; wintering in California.

Nancy had a profound love of art and art collecting, gardening, books, and traveling. She was loved by those that came in contact with her. She touched many souls.

Nancy graduated Classical High School in Worcester and received her B.F.A. from Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. She taught Art in the City of Worcester for many years. She helped inspire many students to pursue their dream in the world of art, photography, fashion and design.

Nancy and her husband founded the Orange Flower Company in the 1970s; they had both a retail bell-bottom jean store and a wholesale manufacturing company - manufacturing and selling belts nationwide to such companies as Saks Fifth Ave, Neiman Marcus, Chess King, and others.

Nancy, her husband and daughter helped pioneer Moshav Sde Nitzan from 1974-1977, in the Negev, Israel; establishing a greenhouse farming settlement growing greenhouse tomatoes, vegetables and flowers for export to Europe and the US.

Returning to the US, Nancy resumed teaching art and design. Upon the introduction of proposition 2 1/2, Nancy was forced to re-invent herself. As a newly laid-off art teacher she turned a symbol of her profession - a red crayon - into a national and international business.

Nancy held seven US Patents on products she designed and manufactured.

She also donated Ralphco products every year to hospitals and pediatric wards, and annually gave a bank to every kindergarten student in the Worcester public school system.

She was named Massachusetts Small Businessperson of the Year in 1995 and was also chosen the Businessperson of the year by the City of Worcester.

She had been a longtime member of Temple Sinai, a life member of the Jewish Healthcare Center, Worcester Chapter of Hadassah and the National Council of Jewish Women. She was one of the founder's of Rachel's Table and was an active, lifetime supporter of the Worcester Jewish Federation.

Funeral services will be held at NOON, TODAY, FRIDAY, MAY 30th in Perlman Funeral Home, 1026 Main St. Burial will be in B'Nai Brith Cemetery.

Memorial Observance will be held through this afternoon at the residence of Allan and Judy Shriber, 4 Salisbury Hill Blvd., Worcester and Saturday Evening, May 31st through Monday Evening, June 2nd at her residence at 14 Harbor Lane in Ogunquit, Maine. Memorial contributions may be made in Nancy's memory to Rabbi's Discretionary Fund at Temple Sinai, 661 Salisbury St. Worcester 01609.