Nancy Jane Pearl

Nancy Jane Pearl

November 12, 2017

Nancy Jane Pearl died Sunday, November 12, 2017.

She was a product of Chicago, growing as the "Baby Sister" to three older brothers. Their parents were supporters of the arts, and the kids grew up visiting the Art Institute of Chicago, The Chicago Symphony, and the vital Chicago theater scene.

Supporting the arts became Nancy's passion later in life. But before that, before Reno, she had an exciting career in broadcasting, public relations, marketing, and communications. A graduate of Southern Illinois University in Broadcasting, Nancy Pearl was one of the first female radio sports reporters, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, home of the University of Michigan football team. Then, she became one of the first female radio announcers and DJs in Chicago radio. She moved into television, and then public relations, and moved to Los Angeles to work at some of the top advertising and public relations agencies in the country. As Director of Communications at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, she played golf with movie stars and sports figures, and worked on its big PGA golf tournament every year.

Nancy then made a move into the public sector, specializing in mass transit operations, working in the L.A. area, and eventually moving to Reno. She formulated communication programs and policies, and was the spokesperson in labor disputes. For that work she was recognized at the Person of the Year by The California Association of Public Information Officers. And she won numerous other awards for her advertising and communications programs.

Nancy left Reno temporarily to work as Director of Communications for a suburb of Sacramento, CA, but after a few years, she retired and came back to her house on the golf course, with the great view of Downtown Reno and the mountains beyond. She loved her house, and her friends who often visited her there. She was always involved in promoting the Arts in Reno, working with the Reno Philharmonic, and singing in the Phil Chorus, and was recently recognized for her work by the Economic Development Agency of Western Nevada.

Her greatest joys came from her family and friends, and from trying to make her world a better place. A Celebration of Her Life will be held from 3 to 6 pm, Sunday, December 10, 2017, at The Sierra Arts Foundation, 17 S. Virginia, Reno, NV. Contributions in her memory can be made to The Sierra Arts Foundation and The Reno Philharmonic.