Nancy Lee Martz

1934 - 2023

Nancy Lee Martz
December 7, 1934 - October 26, 2023
Nancy Lee Martz passed away peacefully at her Piedmont home on Thursday, October 26, 2023. She was 88 years young. Nancy lived a full and colorful life surrounded by lifelong friends -- contributing her time to different interests and hobbies, being an extraordinary wife, a fiercely loyal friend to all, and arguably the absolute greatest mom ever.
Nancy was born on December 7, 1934, in Sacramento, California to John and Dorothy Bagdanoff. An only child with a penchant for books and exploration, Nancy quickly realized that Sacramento was a jumping-off point to something bigger. After attending Sacramento State for two years, Nancy transferred to the University of California at Berkeley in 1954 and soon thereafter became a proud member of the Sigma Kappa sorority. After graduating from Cal in 1956, Nancy moved to San Francisco and began work at the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency.
Nancy's roommate in San Francisco, Barbara Fox Roach, also of Piedmont and a lifelong friend, would play a pivotal role in Nancy's life, introducing Nancy to her future husband, Charles Thomas Martz, Sr. of Westfield, New Jersey.
Nancy and Tom became engaged less than a year after meeting and were married in Sacramento, California, on November 12, 1960. After living in San Francisco and Los Angeles, the couple finally settled in Piedmont, CA, in 1965, where they would live for the remainder of their lives.
Nancy and Tom became members at Claremont Country Club in 1971, where Nancy honed her tennis game and eventually, much to the surprise of Tom, became quite an accomplished golfer. Nancy had three hole-in-ones over her golf career, on the first of which, Nancy lost that specific ball on the next hole. Tom, ever the sportsman, explained to Nancy the significance of putting the hole-in-one ball on display in a case, so the next time she made a hole in one, she merely handed him the ball without mentioning why. When asked, "What's this?" Nancy replied with a smile, "I made sure not to lose the ball this time!" Nancy served as Captain of the Claremont Women Golfers, successfully played for Claremont Country Club's East Bay Team Play team, and partnered with Tom to win four Mixed-4-Ball titles, to name just a few of her accomplishments. She loved golf and the incredible friendships she made through playing the game.
Off the sports field, Nancy was an incredible cook. Her love of cooking and her ability to create thoughtful culinary presentations was the impetus to launch a successful catering business with her two partners, Diane Anderson and Linda Arellano, which lasted over a decade. Her prized recipe collection is filled with very technical descriptions and precise instructions such as "a pinch of", a "squoosh of", and the ever-present "just a dash to taste."
One commitment close to Nancy's heart was her volunteer work with the Oakland Museum's White Elephant Sale. Nancy served on the Public Relations and Media Committee for several years and devoted hundreds of hours over decades to this highly successful annual event.
Nancy also cherished being involved in various other clubs and groups: the Hoe and Hope Garden Club, her book club, different bridge groups, the San Francisco Ballet, and the San Francisco Symphony.
Nancy is survived by her son Kyle and daughter Jane. She will now be enjoying a family reunion in Heaven with her son Tom Jr. and her husband of 54 years, Tom Sr.
The family would like to express its deepest thanks to Nancy's caregiver, Kalesita Leslie Tupou, who watched over her and loved her wholeheartedly. Leslie and her husband Petui Mailau also cared for Tom Sr. in his last months and should be regarded as earthly angels for their devotion to others, including the Martz family.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date, with details to follow. In place of flowers, please donate to a charity of your choice, and make a point of telling those close to you how much you love them.