Nancy Falk

1941 - 2020

Nancy (Ellis) Falk
June 1, 1941 - August 4, 2020
Nancy Falk passed away at Silverado Berkeley on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 after a lengthy struggle with Parkinsons and Lewy Body Dementia.

Born in San Francisco to Willard and Adelaide Ellis, Nancy graduated from the Burke School in 1959, and attended college at Wellesley for two years before transferring to University of California, Berkeley, from which she graduated in 1963, the same year she married Jerome Falk. She earned her teaching credentials and taught at middle school in the East Bay before taking time off once she and Jerry began their family.

Later, she went back to work, first as a school librarian at Oxford Elementary in Berkeley (she always enjoyed running into former students around town!), and then, after returning to school to earn a Masters of Library Science degree from San Jose State University in the early 1990s, as an on-call librarian for the Berkeley public library system.

She was also an involved volunteer for local organizations, in particular as a docent at the Oakland Museum and at Audubon Canyon Ranch. She guided many classrooms of children though both spaces, teaching them about California's natural landscape. And she was a gifted singer who was a member of the Oakland Symphony choir for several years.

A lover of the outdoors with an encyclopedic knowledge of local flora, fauna and geology; an avid reader; a fabulous writer; a lover of the arts; and an unbelievably clever song parodist, Nancy was also a brilliant cook. (But oh, the kitchen chaos she left behind in the process!) She didn't show off, but she knew that she had an exceptional intellect.

Nancy loved international travel, and despite her illness, she and Jerry made numerous trips to Europe and Asia (especially Japan.)

She was assisted on the path to the end of her life by the caring staff at Silverado Berkeley, the angels provided by Kindred Hospice, and additional caregivers from Love to Care. Our family is deeply grateful to all of those who helped her.

Nancy is survived by Jerry, her husband of 57 years, daughters Katherine and Susie Falk, granddaughters Mimi Arick and Pippa Kennedy, sons-in-law Michael Arick and York Kennedy, sister Patricia Milovich, brother-in-law Lee Milovich, niece Karen Milovich, beloved Scottish terrier Piper, and a legion of friends.

A memorial will be held at some time in the future when the COVID-19 crisis has passed and it is safe to gather in person. In lieu of flowers, the Falk family invites you to consider making a donation to a local organization such as the Alameda County Community Food Bank or the Berkeley Public Schools Fund.