Nancy Lucas

1931 - 2015

On July 1, 2015, Nancy Moss Lucas passed away at her home following a brief illness. Nancy lived her life with great joy and love pursuing her passions for the arts and social work. She had an enormous gift for friendship and touched the lives of many with her keen intellect and wit, compassion, and love of the arts. Born on August 4, 1931 in New York, her love of learning and courage to take on new challenges enabled Nancy to enjoy several careers. A graduate of Ithaca College, she taught English and Drama at Saddle River Country Day School and Rockland Country Day School in the1960s and 70s. Nancy was active with the Elmwood Community Playhouse in Nyack, New York. From 1960-73, she directed productions of: Separate Table (1960-61); Once Upon a Mattress (1960-61); The Tenth Man (1963-64); Five Finger Exercise (1964-65); The Visit (1965-66); Riverwind (1967-68); She Loves Me (1969-70) and Company (1972-73). During this time she also received her Masters Degree in Theatre from Hunter College. After moving to the San Francisco area in 1973 Nancy married Jim Lucas and worked in publishing with the San Francisco Examiner. She continued her passion for theatre with her involvement in the Marin Theatre Company, directing a production of The Caretaker in 1974. Nancy embraced the Bay Area making many new lifelong friends and finally settling in Larkspur. She also loved the Mendocino coast spending many weekends there. In 1992 Jim's career and a new grandchild brought them to Washington, DC and then Baltimore, MD. At age 65, when many of her friends were contemplating retirement, Nancy attended and graduated from Howard University School of Social Work. As a social worker at Sheppard Pratt from 1996-2006, Nancy worked with individuals and families in crisis, providing comfort and direction with great wisdom and compassion. Nancy loved the arts, people, good conversation and her New York City. She was an accomplished painter, writer, editor, book club member, theatre director, and symphony aficionado. Most of all she was a loving wife, mother and friend. Her friendships spanned a lifetime and the country. Nancy is survived by her children Ralph and Linda Ringler of Baltimore, Julie and Rich Powell of Santa Barbara, Sue Ringler of New York City, her grandchildren Matt and Rebecca Ringler and Jackson Powell, her stepchildren James, Stacey and Joseph Lucas of the San Francisco Bay area, and her many loving and dear friends in New York, Baltimore, San Francisco and beyond. Her beloved husband James Lucas predeceased Nancy in 2005. A celebration of Nancy's life will be held on Saturday August 1, 2015, 1PM, at the home of Ralph and Linda Ringler, 2205 Wiltonwood Road, Stevenson, Maryland.