Nelda Brantley Fancher Burke

She was much loved among a wide circle of family and friends for her style, compassion and great sense of fun. Nelda enjoyed playing pranks on her daughters and sons-in-law until her final days.

She loved antiques, music and travel, and had a great flair for combining these passions in her beautiful homes.

Nelda was an avid and talented golfer. In her 60’s, she won a women vs men tournament with her favorite golfing partner, Charlotte, at Ocean Forest in Sea Island, where she was a member. She and her husband Bob were also members of the Sea Island Club.

Nelda was born on April 2, 1927 in Birmingham, Alabama, to Haskew and Margaret Hicks Brantley. Nelda and her big brother, Haskew Jr., a former Georgia state senator, were the only children of Haskew and “Maggie,” and remained close for life.

Nelda was raised in Atlanta. She graduated from Washington Seminary and Agnes Scott College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and music. In 1949 she married Thomas Alfred Fancher of Miami, FL, a graduate of Georgia Tech. They lived in Atlanta and raised 3 daughters – Ginny, Barbara and Lori.

Nelda and “Tommy” were members of Atlanta Country Club, where she served many years as a volunteer at The Atlanta Classic tournament.

Nelda remarried in 1985, to Robert Donald “Bob” Burke of Jersey City, NJ. They lived in Greenwich Village, NYC until Bob’s retirement in 1992. They then relocated to the home they had built on Dunbar Creek in St Simons Island. There she served as president of the St. Clair Homeowners’ Association.

Nelda was a devoted supporter of the Humane Society. She adored her adopted feral cat “Claire,” who wandered in from the marsh and recognized a good thing when she saw it.

In 2020, Nelda relocated to Lenbrook in Atlanta, where she participated in monthly piano concerts, often performing her favorite Chopin mazurka, and loved having her signature martini with her Lenbrook friends in the lobby bar.

She was preceded in death by Thomas Fancher, Robert Burke, and her brother Haskew, Jr. , and sadly followed in death by her youngest daughter, Loren (Lori) Falls.

She is survived by her daughters, Virginia (Ginny) Lange and Barbara (Barbie) Avery; and sons-in-law, Don Lange, Herb Avery, and Mark Falls. She has 2 grandchildren, Thomas Avery and Lenzie Avery; and two great grandchildren, Hale and Aidan Avery, sons of Thomas and Sydney Avery.

The service will be on Thursday, May 16th at 1:00 PM at Christ Church, St Simons – Frederica. During the seating at 12:45 PM, Herb Avery will be playing a short concert of Nelda's favorite songs.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Nelda’s name to Christ Church, ccfssi.org, or the Alzheimer’s Association, alz.org. For pictures and remembrances, go to dignitymemorial.com