Nancy J. Boris

Beloved wife, mother and grandmother, Nancy Mae Johnson Boris, died peacefully in the loving arms of family February 26, 2011. She was treasured by all who knew her. Nancy was born in Holdrege, Nebraska, November 7, 1934 to Irma Mae Gasaway and Hilmer Floyd Johnson. She enjoyed an idyllic childhood with her sister, Carol jean. She attended the University of Nebraska where she met and married the love of her life, Andrew Paul Boris, from Amsterdam, New York. The couple relocated to the East coast where Nancy awaited Andrew’s return as an officer aboard the USS Albany during the Korean War. Daughter Leslie Ellen Boris was born September 20, 1954 in Norfolk, Virginia. They moved to Syracuse, New York where Andrew attended Upstate medical center and was graduated in 1961. Nancy worked as a public health nurse, giving vaccinations and support to those living in the poorest neighborhoods. Son Marc Andrew Boris was born June 24, 1963.

Nancy’s talents and interests were far ranging, from managing the Syracuse Inter-City Opera, to acting in numerous TV commercials, singing and recording a 78 rpm, fund raising for public television, and studying conducting classes with Leonard Bernstein during the famous blizzard of 1966. She was a gourmet cook who enjoyed throwing lavish clambakes, pool parties and charitable events. She sang in the DeWitt Community Church choir, played piano and guitar, and loved skiing, bowling, making stained glass windows and silk flowers, and best of all, competing in bridge tournaments, achieving the level of Silver Life Master. Because of her passion for all things Asian, she taught herself Japanese whereupon she became fascinated with Oriental antiques, resulted in a life-long career as a nationally recognized expert in Japanese cloisonné. She studied at the Corning Museum of Glass and also became an expert in American cut and art glass. Her extensive collection, including works of Louis Tiffany, was housed in a museum gallery in Syracuse where buyers came from around the globe. When the couple retired to move to California in 1997, she donated many items including a Ming Dynasty ceremonial robe, to the Smithsonian Museum, as well as gifting much of her prized collection of rare, autographed baseball cards and memorabilia to the Syracuse Boys and Girls Club.

In San Marcos, California, Nancy was active in church choir, and taught competitive bridge at the Vista Bridge Club. She played in tournaments in Reno, Las Vegas and her favorite, on the Queen Mary in Long Beach. She loved living in San Diego near her daughter and grandchildren, Matthew and Rachel, and having fruit trees and flowers year round. She loved the Pageant opf thte Masters, the Getty, and mother-daughter trips with Leslie to Sedona. She and Andrew travelled often to Florida to see Marc and grandchildren Andrew and Bailey, and to Hawaii with her sister Carol Jean and brother in-law, Ben.

She is survived by her husband, Andrew, sister Carol Jean and Dr. Leonard Henry of Spearfish, SD, daughter, Leslie, her husband Gary Schotz and grandchildren Matthew and Rachel, of San Diego, son Marc, his wife Mary Pat, and grandchildren Andrew Charles, Bailey Skye, and Dylan and Aspen Lee, all of Merritt Island, Florida.

Services will be held at Eternal Hills Chapel in Oceanside, CA, and burial at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetary on Point Loma in San Diego. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the San Diego Hospice or the charity of your choice.