Nancy Delaney Alvord

1922 - 2017

Nancy Delaney Alvord

Nancy Delaney Alvord, whose creative mind, generous spirit, and joyous love of beauty motivated a lifetime of philanthropy, died on December 22, 2017, at her Seattle home. She kept flowers in every room and two dogs at her side. She lived with art and music and good books, and she had a wicked sense of humor. She loved cooking and gardening and visiting with friends. She led a life of wisdom, compassion, and generosity.

Born Nancy Armstrong Delaney on August 12, 1922, in Chicago, Illinois, she was the daughter of Frances and James Armstrong Delaney of Glencoe, Illinois. She attended the Roycemore School and received her Bachelor's degree from Radcliffe College, Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1943.

Her wartime wedding to Private Ellsworth Chapman "Buster" Alvord, Jr., was celebrated at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City in 1943. The couple made their first home in New York City, where Buster attended Cornell Medical School. In succeeding years they lived in Washington, D.C., and Houston, Texas, before settling in Seattle, where Buster's career at the University of Washington was balanced by Nancy's interests and activities in education, arts, and public service. She was a longtime member of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church and a strong supporter of the ACLU. Throughout her life she was an advocate for civility in a conflicted world.

When, as Nancy Alvord, she was elected President of the Seattle Repertory Theatre Board of Trustees, a change in the bylaws was required--the founders having not foreseen a woman occupying the leadership position. At the time she observed prophetically, "I'm glad this modern world came about and I can be myself and have my own name."

She was an enthusiastic member of the Seattle Art Museum board during the Museum's various remodels and its expansion to downtown, and was a participant on all of its Art Councils, including Decorative, Asian, Native, Contemporary, American, and African Arts. She received the Dorothy C. Malone Award, conferred by the Museum upon "an exceptional volunteer who reflects the highest standards of dedication and service to the museum."

Nancy served on numerous other boards, including the Northwest Women's Law Center, the UW Libraries Visiting Committee, and the UW History Visiting Committee. She was a founding director of the University of Washington Foundation, and she helped raise funds for the Solomon Katz Professorship in the Humanities. A deep interest in psychology led her to a study of the works of C. G. Jung and to the formation of the Seattle Chapter of the C. G. Jung Society in 1973. The library of the Society, now housed at the Good Shepherd Center in Wallingford, is named in her honor.

Together, Nancy and Buster were recognized for their endowment of several chairs in the University of Washington School of Medicine as well as the Alvord Graduate Fellowship in the Humanities. They were recipients of multiple UW awards: the Dean's Circle Award in 2004, the Gates Volunteer Service Award in 2006, and the Brotman Leadership Award in 2008. They supported the UW's Meany Hall, Henry Art Gallery, and KUOW. They endowed the Harborview Mission of Caring Endowed Fund for Uncompensated Care, and a chair in pediatric epilepsy at Children's Hospital, where the Nancy Delaney Alvord Fund for Child Mental Health has been established. A family lounge at Children's Hospital is named in Nancy's honor.

Nancy and Buster were recipients of the 1991 Seattle-King County First Citizens Award, the Corporate Council for the Arts (now ArtsFund) Lifetime Dedication to the Arts Award in 1999, and the PONCHO Founders Award in 2008. Three generations of the Alvord family were recognized in 1995 as the Outstanding Philanthropic Family of the Year by the Washington State Chapter of the National Society of Fund Raising Executives, and in 2015 as recipients of the MS Philanthropic Family Award.

Nancy Alvord is survived by a brother, Robert Delaney, of Chicago; a son, Ellsworth C. "Chap" Alvord III, and his wife, Eve; two daughters, Katharyn Alvord Gerlich and Jean Alvord Rhodes; and a son, Richard Alvord, and his wife, Nancy, all of Seattle. She is also survived by nine grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren, and by a large circle of loving friends. She leaves behind her devoted caregivers and companions, Delia Chin, Sionette Farris, Eva Sinnons, and Lilia Valda.

A memorial celebration has been

set for March 4, 2018, at 2:00, at St. Mark's Cathedral, Seattle.

Remembrances in lieu of flowers may be directed to the American Friends Service Committee, the League of Women Voters Education Fund, the Seattle Youth Symphony, or a charity of your choice.


Memorial Service
Sunday, March 4, 2018, 2:00 pm.
St. Mark's Episcopal Church
1245 10th Avenue East, Seattle