Nancy Kay Rodgers Holmes

Former Scranton City Councilwoman Nancy Kay Rodgers Holmes died Tuesday at Mercy Hospital Hospice Unit after a five-month battle with cancer. She was the widow of Donald F. Holmes, her husband of 48 years, who died June 12. The couple married Aug. 20, 1960.

A Dunmore native, she was the daughter of the late Hugh J. and Alice Fitzsimmons Rodgers. She served on Scranton City Council in the mid-1990s and later became chairwoman of the Scranton Home Rule Charter Study Commission. As co-founder and president of the Green Ridge Neighborhood Association, she led the fight to ensure that the area maintains its character. She also worked in concert with neighbors in beautifying the island park on Woodlawn Street, where she and her family had resided for more than 40 years.

She was a member of St. Clare Church, Scranton. She also volunteered regularly at the novena at St. Ann's Basilica, at St. Joseph's Fair and at other community and church events.

She was a graduate of Marywood Seminary and member of its Alumnae Association. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1960 from Marywood College, where she served as editor of the Marywoodian. She taught high school English in Omaha, Neb., and Johnson City, N.Y., before joining the Scranton School District, where she retired in 2003 after 34 years as a health and physical education teacher at Scranton Tech and Scranton High schools.

She was active in a number of local bridge groups. As a traveler, she visited many places in the world, from Europe to China. Over the summer, she and members of her family traveled to Ireland with a stop in Donegal, where her paternal grandparents were born.

Surviving are three daughters, Susan Carty and husband, Jerry, Bloomington, Ind.; Betsy Bartholomew and husband, Bart, Locust Grove, Va.; and Kathy Guy and husband, Tim, Falls Church, Va.; three sons, attorney Donald F. Holmes Jr. and wife, Courtney, Arlington, Va.; Rodgers Holmes, Dunmore; Douglas Holmes and wife, Karen, New York City; two brothers, Hugh J. Rodgers and wife, Meg, Washington Twp., N.J.; and Michael H. Rodgers and wife Marti, Devon; a sister, Dr. Tina Lesher and husband, John, Westfield, N.J.; nine grandchildren, Torie, Shane, Tess and Logan Bartholomew; Michael and Teague Guy; and Donny, Eamon and Christopher Holmes; numerous nephews and nieces.

Viewing will be Friday, 4 to 8 p.m., in the Snowdon Funeral Home, Sanderson Avenue, Scranton. Mass will be celebrated Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Clare Church. Family and friends are asked to proceed directly to the church. Private interment, St. Catherine's Cemetery, Moscow.

The family requests donations be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 6914 Arlington Road, Suite 308, Bethesda, MD 20814.