NANCY JEAN RICHARDSON

(nee Cameron) (February 14, 1938 – September 5, 2025) Nancy died surrounded by family and the attentive care of Tibetan personal support workers and Briton House staff during the evening of September 5, 2025. Nancy's upbringing on a farm near Barrie, Ontario, formed an indelible part of her background and character. Her parents, Donald and Jean (Handy) Cameron, emphasized - and Nancy absorbed - the values of family, church, and community. At Barrie Collegiate, she discovered her love of music during five years playing tenor saxophone in a dance band and orchestra. Nancy graduated from Sick Kids School of Nursing in 1959. Earlier that year she met Peter, and later that same year they married, raising a family of four, two of whom were born in Cambridge, England, while Peter was undertaking a PhD. Back in Canada, Nancy worked as a medical secretary, medical researcher, antique shopkeeper, pediatric nurse, and school volunteer. She especially delighted in providing social glue to help people bond, among her classmates, on the hospital ward, in study groups, with friends, and at family gatherings. Through travel and archaeological digs, she became deeply attached to the Middle East and its peoples, particularly its children; when grieving her mother's death, she spent several weeks walking in the Sahara Desert in Morocco alongside camels and Berber guides. Above all, Nancy - Meema - was ferociously devoted to her grandchildren, her greatest pride and joy. During formative summers at Stoney Lake, she encouraged their play and valued their individuality. Her children and grandchildren will remember, in particular, the constant flow of baked goods, any number of renovation projects from small to large, and her interminable advocacy on their behalf. Nancy was known for her inclusive, easy-going, positive nature, her devotion to family and friends, and her ability to host the finest dinner parties while always being the best dressed. She was strong, brave, loyal, and fiercely independent. Nancy will be deeply missed by her four children, Mary, Susan (Eric Rogers), Jonathan (Tracey Ford), and Ruth (Andrew Duffy); eight grandchildren, Simon, Lucas, and Léa Jean Marcotte Richardson, Jesse and Tyler Rogers, Joshua, Rebekah, and Samuel Richardson-Duffy; six great-grandchildren, Wesley, George, and Joëlle Marcotte-Richardson, Lily and Noé Marcotte, Jeremey Rogers, and a seventh on its way; sibling, Donald Cameron; and her extended family, friends, and colleagues. A memorial service will be held on Friday, October 3, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., at Little Trinity Anglican Church, 425 King St. E., Toronto, with a reception to follow. All are welcome. Memorial donations may be made at: donate.worldvision.ca/collections/donations