Nancy Dawson

1949 - 2023

Nancy Dawson, 74, of Boulder, died at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood from a stroke on Thursday, February 9. Nancy was born in Denver on January 18, 1949, to Mildred and Dick Dawson. After graduating from George Washington High School, she attended the University of Missouri for one year, then transferred to the University of Colorado, where she graduated in 1971. She received her M.A. in Journalism from the University of Colorado in 1986. Nancy lived a life of service that characterized her teaching and writing career, her volunteer activities, and her deep devotion to family and friends. She volunteered for VISTA at Pine Ridge after college; taught GED classes to low-income students at a Quaker women's center in Philadelphia; taught English as a second language in Colombia and to newly-arrived immigrants in Boulder; and mentored young scientists from diverse backgrounds in the SOARS program at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, where she also worked for 20 years as a technical writer. Nancy met Stephen R. Jones, a fellow English as a Second Language teacher, in 1981, and they married in 1986. Finding a life partner and kindred spirit in Steve, they organized a privately-supported English program for immigrants at San Juan del Centro public housing in Boulder in 1983, after funding for immigrant education was drastically reduced under the Reagan Administration. During the 1980s and 1990s, Nancy and Steve took a dozen extended trips to Mexico and Costa Rica, where they improved their Spanish while exploring remote beaches and wildlife preserves. Inspired by those experiences, Nancy wrote a story about giant leatherback turtle rescue and another about sea otter recovery, both of which were published in Cricket magazine. She went on to publish a dozen stories in Cricket and other national children's magazines. A revealing profile of a Colorado mining camp, based on her family history, appeared in Colorado Heritage magazine. Nancy derived remarkable joy from helping others. Steve remembers first meeting Nancy at the Boulder Valley Schools ESL center where sounds from her classroom drew him to witness this energetic young woman smiling, pointing toward the sky, and twirling her finger while 15 students from widely diverse backgrounds laughed in chorus. It was all he needed to see. For much of her adult life, Nancy struggled with a neurological condition known as Chiari Malformation, which progressively limits our ability to walk, engage in fine motor activities, and control blood pressure. Nancy adjusted by learning to use voice software on her computer when the technology was in its infancy and fall-proofing her South Boulder home, while carrying on with her long-term passions, including writing, tending a room full of orchids, and celebrating the accomplishments of beloved nieces and nephews. A caregiver described her as "the most courageous person I've ever worked with." Nancy is survived by her husband Stephen Jones; her older sister Pamela Rice, of San Diego; and two younger brothers, Dan Dawson of Seminole, Florida, and John Dawson of Boulder. Friends and family plan to hold an informal outdoor memorial gathering in late May. For details, contact Stephen Jones at curlewsj@comcast.net.