It is with profound sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Nancy Patricia Wallace on May 5, 2025, at the age of 59. Nancy, a woman of extraordinary compassion, boundless energy, and an insatiable curiosity for the world, passed away quietly after hosting a joyful Cinco de Mayo dinner with friends in Annapolis. She leaves behind a legacy of love, friendship, and global impact that will never be forgotten.
Born on January 18, 1966, Nancy was the fourth of five children of Daniel and Patricia (Coyne) Wallace of Bowie, MD. From a young age, she demonstrated a rare ability to connect with people from all walks of life. Whether a young adult in Africa, Central America or Asia, a farmer in Maryland, a business person in Italy, a government minister in Uganda or a wife of a waterman on Smith Island, Nancy’s kindness and enthusiasm for life made everyone she met feel like an old friend. Above all, she had an extraordinary gift for encouraging those around her to chase their dreams and make them real, no matter the challenge.
Nancy’s adventurous spirit took her to the farthest reaches of the globe, starting with her early career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sierra Leone, Nicaragua, and later in Liberia. She was also honored to have the opportunity to volunteer with and meet Mother Teresa at the Mother House in Calcutta. Her passion for international development and her desire to make a difference led her to serve as the Executive Director for Women’s Campaign International, an organization dedicated to increasing the participation and influence of women in emerging democracies and post-conflict regions. She also held key positions with the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development and the Department of Agriculture, where she managed teams who significantly boosted Maryland’s exports. Most recently she worked at Education Development Center (EDC), an international non-profit where she directed and supported projects focused on youth education and workforce development in places such as Rwanda, the Mekong region, Jordan, and the Philippines, where over 100,000 youth were given “second-chance” education opportunities. Through her work, Nancy touched the lives of countless individuals across the globe. Whether serving as Chief of Party of the $15.9 million USAID-funded MYDev project in Mindanao, Philippines, or helping to connect communities through workforce development in Africa, her influence was vast and lasting.
Nancy’s adventurous spirit wasn’t confined to her professional life. She instilled a love for global exploration in her nieces and nephews, taking them to places such as Turkey, Liberia, Honduras, the Amazon, Cambodia, and even to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Her infectious enthusiasm for life inspired those around her to see the world not just as it is, but as it could be. For Nancy, there was no place too far and no dream too big.
Even when global development funding slowed, Nancy’s drive remained unwavering. She sought new opportunities, including a youth training program in Papua New Guinea, and enrolled with her husband Simon in a course to become certified chefs for Alpine ski chalets—blending their love of travel, outdoor adventure, and cooking. It was yet another reflection of her commitment to living life fully, creatively, and without limits.
In addition to her global endeavors, Nancy found joy in the simple pleasures of life. She was an active member of the Kent Island Outrigger Canoe Club and she and Simon spent time racing outrigger canoes up and down the East Coast, in California and in Hawaii, including in last year's Queen Lili’uokalani race in Kona. Nancy was a Eucharistic minister at St. Mary’s Catholic Church for many years and she also played an active role in her local community as a member of the Eastport Democratic Club.
Nancy is survived by her devoted husband Simon James; her siblings Regina Thyberg, David Wallace, and Sean Wallace; her sisters-in-law Laura Wallace, Cindi Wallace, Eileen Wallace and Nikki Wilson; and her brothers-in-law Carl Thyberg and Mark Wilson. She is also survived by her nieces and nephews, Matthew Wallace, Daniel Thyberg, Leah Thyberg Rundlett, Aileen Wallace, Jenny Wallace, Colleen Wallace, Robert Thyberg, Noah Thyberg, Brendan Wallace, Kathleen Wallace, Mary Grace Wallace, Matt Wilson and Ben Wilson; and mother-in-law Chris James. She was predeceased by her parents Daniel and Patricia Wallace, her brother Kevin Wallace, and father-in-law Tom James.
Nancy’s friends, family, and colleagues will remember her as a radiant spirit, always present, always caring, and always eager to bring people together. As a friend beautifully commented, we never thought that Nancy would leave the party early. But apparently, she had other places to be and people to befriend.
Nancy will be deeply missed by the thousands of people whose lives she touched around the world. Her impact remains an enduring testament to the power of kindness, friendship, and the unyielding belief that anything is possible.
A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30am on Friday, May 23, 2025 at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 620 N Bestgate Road, Annapolis, MD. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the American Heart Association or Friends of Liberia (https://fol.org/donate/) in Nancy’s honor, continuing the work she loved so much.
May Nancy rest in peace, with the knowledge that her love, warmth, and spirit will forever live on in the hearts of those who were fortunate enough to know her.
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