Nancy Royal Olson Ohlinger

1948 - 2021

Nancy Royal Olson Ohlinger

April 7, 1948 - December 29, 2021

WILLIAMSBURG, Va.

Nancy Ohlinger and her husband, Charlie, had just come out of a wonderful "bucket list" concert by Andrea Bocelli in Philadelphia on December 8, 2021 when she experienced sudden cardiac arrest. Although quick action CPR by police saved her, a series of additional cardiac events over the next three weeks damaged her too much to recover. She passed away in hospice in the arms of her family on Wednesday, December 29, 2021.

She was born on April 7, 1948, during a family visit to Chicago, Ill. She was preceded in death by her parents, Roger Algot Olson and Frances Elizabeth Royal; her favorite Richmond aunts, Lillian Royal Stouffs and Nell Royal Rhodes; and her younger Williamsburg sister, Becky Olson O'Connell.

Her father's work as an engineer took the family to Long Beach, Calif., and to Lynchburg and Newport News, Va., where Nancy was a 1966 graduate of Warwick High School in Newport News.

While married to her first husband in Charlottesville, Nancy was a stay-at-home mom during Nick and Liza's school years. After they graduated high school in Charlottesville, Nancy fulfilled a life-long dream and went to back to college and earned her BS degree from Mary Baldwin College in Staunton and MSW degree from VCU in Richmond. Being a social worker was more than a job for Nancy: it was a calling that allowed everyone around her to see what love looked like in person. She loved her work in a number of clinical social work positions including hospice, working with the elderly, and at the local hospital.

Nancy relocated to Williamsburg in 2002 and was active in many Kingsmill activities. She met her future husband, Charlie Ohlinger, in 2007, and they married in November 2008 and resided in Ford's Colony. They traveled extensively to Paris, Venice, Barcelona, Stockholm, China, Thailand, the Caribbean, Florida, the Baltic, Spain, the Mediterranean, and more. However, their favorite trips were always those involving family, and Thanksgiving trips to the Outer Banks were among her fondest memories.

She felt so fortunate to have her children with their spouses and children with us for Thanksgiving this year, the first time they had all been able to be together in several years. And this, of course, was just two weeks before her cardiac arrest.

As a lover of the arts and history, Nancy was a long-time member of the VMFA, Muscarelle Museum, and Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Whether collecting flowers from her gardens, setting up nature displays with shells, twigs, bird nests and dried fall plants, displaying her collection of antique maps and prints, or arranging photos of loved ones, she was always finding ways to make her home so very beautiful for her and Charlie.

Nancy was a member of Williamsburg Presbyterian Church, a fervent believer in the power and love of God, read the Bible almost daily, and was ready to be with her loved ones in heaven.

Nancy is survived by her husband, Charles T. Ohlinger III; her son, Nicholas (Ramey) Tatar and their sons, Ben and Sam; her daughter, Liza (Paige); her stepson, Jon (Tracy) Ohlinger and their sons, Luke and Tyler; and her stepson, Jeff (Sue) Ohlinger and their children Ariel, Sam, Kelly, Ashlynn, and Autumn. Also surviving are nephews, Matt (Bridgette) and Brian (Michelle) and their children, Hannah, Alexander, and Cameron. Also left to mourn her are many dear friends from book club, bridge, canasta, BYOB, wine and dine, and various other social group which she and Charlie so enjoyed.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests her friends make donations to the Williamsburg House of Mercy or the Williamsburg Regional Library. A memorial service is being arranged for late January and details will be forthcoming.