Nancy Smalley

Nancy Anne Smalley Nancy Smalley was a force of Nature. Nancy was born on August 22, 1926, in Hastings, Michigan to Elsie and Homer Harrison. Nancy graduated from Redford High School in Detroit at 16 and went on to Michigan State University, graduating in 1947 with a BS degree in Foods and Nutrition. Her elder brother, Roger had made friends with Justin Smalley at the Edison Institute in Greenwood Village. Justin seemed to Roger like a good match for Nancy and so they were introduced. They were married on September 6, 1947 in Farmington, Michigan. They moved to Takoma Park, Maryland in 1948, where Nancy worked at the Department of Agriculture, collaborating on a recipe book - Family Fare; Food Management and Recipes. Three children came along. In 1956, the family moved to a new suburb of St. Paul, MN, where there were many other young families with whom they formed many lifelong friendships. They enjoyed skiing, swimming, camping, canoeing an playing Bridge with the neighbor folks. In 1966, Justin chose to take a position at the new National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado, much to the delight of the family. Skiing expanded to real mountains. Nancy excelled at golf, winning the first flight at Lake Valley Golf Course. At age 52, Nancy answered an ad for women to participate in a Colorado University study on exercise. This began a journey that took her all over the United States and the world. There were seven World Masters Athletics in Eugene, OR, Finland, South Africa, England, Australia, Puerto Rico and Spain. Nancy competed in nine Rocky Mountain Senior Games, winning 33 Gold medals and one Silver from 1981 to 1996. Nancy completed the Bolder Boulder 10K race 25 times from 1982 to 2007 - from age 54 to 80 years young - and garnered the fastest time in her age group every time. She enjoyed 20 years of running training and competing with Rich Castro and the Boulder Road Runners. Nancy was installed in the Sportswomen of Colorado Hall of Fame in 2000. All of this with sight in only her left eye! Nancy and Justin built a beautiful home in Pine Brook Hills and enjoyed the sunrise there for 28 years. Nancy completed a Masters in Nutritional Consulting in 1988. In 1995 they moved to a new apartment at Frasier Meadows. Nancy is preceded in death by her husband of 70 years, Justin Smalley; brother Roger Harrison, sister Sue Palmer and brother Homer Harrison. Nancy is survived by her three children, Brian Smalley, Gary Smalley (and Victoria Strohmeyer) and Diane Smalley (and Wallace Stahle); Gary's two daughters, Sarah (and Jeff) Strizzi and Kristin Haughey and five beloved great-grandchildren, Noah Haughey, Joshua Strizzi, Ethan Haughey, Isabella Strizzi and Olivia Strizzi. There will be a celebration of life at in the Canyon Center of Frasier Meadows at 1 pm on Tuesday, August 23; 350 Ponca Place, Boulder.