Nancy Bell Rollings

Nan had a wonderful summer vacation in Frankfort, Michigan before an unexpected series of medical events. Nan passed away peacefully on July 20, 2025. Her last visit to the family cottage in Frankfort was filled with joy and spent in the company of her husband, children (and their spouses) and grandchildren. Affectionally known to her grandchildren as Nana, she was the star of the show. Frankfort is a special place that Nan visited over the course of fifty years. Survivors include her husband Donald, her children Elizabeth Friman (Doug) and Jim Rollings (Carrie), her grandchildren Cooper and Addison Rollings and her beloved Brittany spaniel, Pal. Nan adored her identical twin sister Barbara de Boinville (Bryan) of Chevy Chase, Maryland and her brother Clay Risk (Erika) of Naples, Florida. Nan will be dearly missed by her family and friends. She was graceful, intelligent, deeply caring, committed to the service of others and a class act. Nan left the world a better place.
Nan was born at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City on December 3, 1952. Nan was the daughter of Sharon Clay Risk and Louise Risk. During her childhood, she moved with her family to Maryland. Nan had many happy memories of her childhood home on Sunset Lane in Kenwood (Chevy Chase, MD) and at Nuits, the historic home of her maternal grandparents in Ardsley-on-the-Hudson, New York. After graduating from Walt Whitman High School in 1970, Nan attended Princeton University, graduating in 1974. She was in the second class of women who were admitted to Princeton and Nan and her sister, Barbara, were the first female twins admitted to Princeton. Her undergraduate degree was in English as was her master's degree at the University of Arizona.
Nan and Donald were married at Fourth Presbyterian Church on December 21, 1974 in Bethesda, Maryland. They celebrated their 50th anniversary last year. Nan and Donald were a remarkable couple. Nan was Donald's partner and sidekick. He often referred to her as his Bride and Nana-bear. In September 1975, Nan and Donald returned to Tucson from the East Coast. They never imagined that they would still be in the Old Pueblo fifty years later.
Nan was a busy lady while living in Tucson. She had many interests. Nan worked as an editorial assistant for the Arizona Historical Society. She later served as the editor of KIVA, a publication in the archaeology, anthropology, and history of the American Southwest. Nan also worked with various non-profit organizations. She served as a "promotora" at St. Elizabeth's of Hungary Clinic and when working for Amistades Inc., Nan worked on projects related to youth drug prevention. Nan enjoyed serving as a volunteer with Clínica Amistad and the University of Arizona Poetry Center. Nan was devoted to her church, First United Methodist Church (Tucson, AZ). In more recent years, Nan committed herself to The Inn Project, which offered temporary housing to documented immigrants passing through Tucson. She served with her head and her heart. Nan was committed to making Tucson a better place for everyone.
A celebration of life service will be held in Nan's honor at the First United Methodist Church in Tucson at 11 a.m. on Saturday September 6, 2025. If you wish to make a donation in her memory, please consider the University of Arizona Poetry Center (University of Arizona Foundation/Poetry Center P.O. Box 210150, Tucson AZ 85721), Clínica Amistad (P.O. Box 27284 Tucson, AZ, 85726) or The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona (3003 S. Country Club Rd., Tucson, AZ 85713).