Nancy W. Parker

Nancy W. Parker, 84, passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 15, 2026. Born on June 23, 1941, in Montclair, New Jersey, Nancy was the beloved daughter of the late George H. and Mildred Whitmore, and sister to the late Kenneth G. Whitmore. Nancy's legacy endures through her loving family: her children Tracey Connolly (Mike) and Jim Parker (Amanda), and her cherished grandchildren, Zoe and Zach.

Nancy was a graduate of Montclair High School in NJ and Green Mountain College in Vermont where she earned an Associate Degree in Interior Design. Her first job out of college was in New York City at Good Housekeeping magazine. She then embarked on a decades-long career at Artesian Water Company in Newark, Delaware. She started there as an executive secretary, worked her way up to Director of Communications, and finished her career as a Conservation and Environmental Coordinator where she got to share her love of water conservation with countless schoolchildren all over the State of Delaware.

A history lover and avid environmentalist, Nancy contributed greatly to organizations including the Christina Conservancy, the Delaware Envirothon, the New Castle Historical Society, the Delaware Historical Society, and she served as President and then Chairman Emerita of the Hale Byrnes House.

Her love of travel and the outdoors took her from the Adirondack Mountains and the beaches of Cape Henlopen to the deserts of Arizona and the streets of San Fransico. She also traveled to Europe, Greece and all over Scandinavia, frequently traveling with her beloved cousin Susan Hopkins. She created beautiful journals describing most of her travels.

Nancy was an artist in every sense. She wrote and illustrated a children's book, and could often be found drawing, painting and sketching. She explored many new crafts at the John C. Campbell Folk School in North Carolina, and appeared in plays and musical performances with the Chapel Street Players in Newark, DE and the Everett Theatre in Middletown, DE. She found great joy and community singing in the church choirs at St. Georges and later New Castle United Methodist Church.

Nancy W. Parker will be remembered for her artistic spirit, her dedication to the environment, and mostly for her love of family and friends. She touched countless lives through her kindness, creativity, and commitment to making the world a better place. Her family and all who knew her will miss her deeply.

A celebration of life will be held for her in June on her 85th birthday. Please return to this website in early June for the final details.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Nancy's name to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America or the Sunday Breakfast Mission.