Nancy Jeffrey

Anne “Nancy” Kittredge Jeffrey died peacefully at home on November 8, 2018 surrounded by her children. Nancy was a woman of vision and determination who nurtured her family and strengthened communities with her myriad talents and dedicated service. Born on June 17, 1930 in Irvington-on-Hudson, NY, Anne Channing Kittredge and four older brothers were raised by their mother during the Depression. Rather than scarcity, her childhood experiences around food, fun and family revealed that abundance is a choice to be made. She graduated from The Masters School, Dobbs Ferry, NY where the motto was “Do it with thy might!” She took this to heart. She also attended Skidmore College and Columbia University. Nancy was the beloved wife of Robert H. “Tad” Jeffrey who she met in 1940 on Lake Temagami, Ontario. They were married in 1951 and moved to his hometown, Columbus, OH, in 1956 after Tad’s service in the U.S. Navy. She is survived by their children: Anne Jeffrey Wright (Rick, deceased), Ardmore, PA; Sally Jeffrey O’Neil (Mark), Sudbury, MA; Betsy Jeffrey Balderston (Tom), Ardmore, PA; and Andy Kilbourne Jeffrey (Dorothy), South Sutton, NH. She was known as G’Ma to thirteen grandchildren and five great grandchildren who adored her and brought her immense joy. She instilled in them a love of competitive games. For milestone birthdays, she requested - in lieu of gifts - weekends filled with card and board games that became known as the G’Ma Games. Nancy was a surrogate mother and mentor to many -- offering an ear, keen interest, support and appreciation. Finally, as the matriarch of two large families - her own Kittredge clan and the Jeffrey family- she gathered cousins, connected generations, shared memories and created celebrations that not only bonded families together but created a legacy that will outlast her. Family was her religion and Thanksgiving was a high holiday! Nancy was a valued community leader for nearly sixty years. Her keen strategic mind and compassionate heart coupled to make her work transformative in its results. She was interested in creating and improving social systems to respond to needs. She tackled difficult societal issues, bringing the plight of the homeless and those living with mental illness to the forefront at a time when such topics were rarely discussed. Her belief in the dignity and worth of each individual led her to become a founder of the Alcohol, Drug & Mental Health (ADAMH) Board and the Community Shelter Board and the President of United Way of Central Ohio. She provided leadership in many other Columbus organizations including The Columbus Foundation, Metropolitan Human Services Commission, Capital South Urban Redevelopment Corporation, Action for Children, Columbus and Franklin County Housing Commission, Columbus School for Girls, The Ohio State University/ Harding Hospital, Friends of Green Lawn Cemetery and Washington Gladden Social Justice Park. She was a fearless fundraiser and loved helping organizations and causes in which she believed solve the puzzle of how to advance their missions through philanthropy. Nancy and Tad were transformational donors themselves not only in their gifts of treasure but time and commitment, galvanizing common interests and building bridges. Nancy was warm and engaging with family, friends and community members but also cherished solitude and private time. She found avocations that took her to a centered quiet place like shelling on the Captiva beach, birding all over the world, doing jigsaw puzzles at home and tucked in suitcases for travel, daily crossword puzzles, bicycling miles around her Bexley neighborhood and swimming in seas, ponds and pools. She loved the quiet and beauty of their home in New York’s Adirondack Mountains where she served as a loon ranger. Her long-standing passion for cooking and entertaining led her to open Good Things, a cookware shop in Bexley from 1977-1983. Nancy was an ardent flower lover and worked with devoted colleagues to offer beautiful gardens and spaces to her family, friends and neighbors. Nancy’s life was family and community. In both spheres, she was everyone’s “true north.” Rooted in the values and customs of another generation, she was also completely in tune with the contemporary scene. Her ability to connect, appreciate and create abundance spans generations and has been her gift to all of us. A celebration of her life will be held at First Congregational Church on Saturday, December 8, 2018 at 11 AM followed by a reception, the Rev. Dr. Timothy C. Ahrens officiating. Private interment at Green Lawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Nancy’s memory to Green Lawn Cemetery, 1000 Greenlawn Ave., Columbus, OH 43223, Columbus School for Girls, 56 S. Columbia Ave., Columbus, OH 43209, the Psychiatry Center of Excellence Fund (Fund #315367) at the Ohio State University, 1480 W. Lane Ave., Columbus, OH 43221 or Washington Gladden Social Justice Park Fund, c/o The Columbus Foundation, 1234 East Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43205. Arrangements by SCHOEDINGER MIDTOWN CHAPEL, 229 E. State Street, Columbus, OH 43215. Please visit www.Schoedinger.com for details and to share a memory of Nancy.