NANCY AUSTER

AUSTER--Nancy. Nancy Eileen Ross Auster, age 96, of Canton, New York, who lived a full and inspiring life, died peacefully at home on October 14, 2022, surrounded by loved ones. Nancy was born in New York City to Norman and Edith Ross. Nancy's beloved husband, Don Auster, with whom she shared 75 marvelous years of marriage, predeceased her in December 2021. Nancy received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Barnard College, graduated top of her Master's of Business Administration (MBA) class at Indiana University, and served as a faculty member at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Canton for 25 years until her retirement in 1991 as Distinguished Service Professor of Economics Emeritus. She was a pioneer who courageously paved the way for women. She was the first recipient of the SUNY Canton Distinguished Faculty Award, the first woman to be elected as a Faculty Senate member from SUNY Canton, the first person from a two-year college and the first woman to become President of the statewide SUNY Faculty Senate, and the first Distinguished Service Professor at SUNY Canton. Nancy's visionary, fair-minded, and pragmatic approach made her a highly effective member of the SUNY Chancellor's Advisory Committee and union contract negotiator with the United University Professions (UUP). Nancy was an avid athlete who downhill and cross-country skied, swam, biked, played tennis, and skated and then at the age of 50, she and Don started running. In her 60s, Nancy began doing duathlons and triathlons. She competed in over 500 races and won the USA Master's Long Distance Running Track and Field Women's 5K national title in her age category four times, most recently at age 86, reshaping notions of women's athletic ability as they age. Nancy was adventurous. With her family, she took tent camping trips across the US and Canada and traveled to the Caribbean, Central America, and Europe. She whale- watched in the Atlantic Ocean, explored remote rain forests, and hiked in the Alps. A life-time birder, she saw approximately 600 species of birds. She also designed unique, vibrant, colorful quilts, knit beautiful blankets, grew garden vegetables, and made delicious homemade bread. Nancy's optimistic spirit, generous heart, boundless energy, and bright smile lifted those around her. She will be forever and deeply missed by all those who knew her. Nancy is survived by two daughters, Carol Auster (Stan Mertzman) of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Ellen Auster (Steve Shaffer), of Toronto, Ontario, and her loving sister, Sally Levene. Additional survivors include four granddaughters, Lauren Auster- Gussman (Colin Bedell), Lisa Auster-Gussman (Kevin Stanton), Lindsey Auster- Weiss (Mike Zelma), and Shannon Auster-Weiss (Nick Hrynuik) as well as five step- grandchildren and thirteen great-step-grandchildren. For a full obituary please visit: www.northcountrynow.com/ obituaries/nancy-eileen-ross- auster-96-canton