Nancy Riddle Iversen

Nancy Lee Riddle was born on January 29, 1936 in Evansville, IN to Harold “Hal” Riddle and Emma “Peg” Geyer Riddle. Being an only child, she enjoyed her early years with the extended Riddle and Geyer families with music, dance and other forms of art at the Geyer family home in Cincinnati, OH.

In 1945 Nancy and Peg drove across the country to meet Hal in Southern California where he had been pursuing business opportunities in the area. Eventually Hal and Peg purchased Heap Stationery in San Fernando. Nancy had fond memories of the classic office supplies, greeting cards and special writing instruments offered for sale in the store. In 1948 when she was twelve years old, her father Hal with whom she was very close, passed. She and her mother Peg carried on with Nancy spending the remainder of her childhood and young adult years in Southern California.

Graduating from San Fernando High School in 1953, Nancy went on to attend Whittier College, attaining a BA degree in 1957. She later continued her education at West Valley College in Saratoga, CA for her AA and San Jose State University where she was awarded a Master of Urban Planning degree in 1984. Afterward she maintained a professional membership in the American Planning Association.

In 1959 Nancy married the late Stan Iversen in Covina, CA. They had three children, Karsten, Kathren and Erik. The family moved several times, spending a good deal of their early years living on Mercer Island, WA. They eventually settled and stayed in Los Gatos, CA until the three children reached adulthood. After she and Stan split Nancy moved to Las Palmas Ranch in Salinas, CA in 1994.

Combining her education and personal interests she worked in local and state government. This included the California Coastal Commission, Washington State Shoreline Protection, Mercer Island Environmental Council, Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space, CalTrans and the cities of Arroyo Grande and Los Banos.

Nancy was a lifelong community activist with over 60 years of contributions to civic, historic, cultural and environmental organizations. She was deeply involved in civic engagement with The National Trust for Historic Preservation, American Association of University Women, Salinas Woman’s Club, California Preservation Foundation, Steinbeck House in Salinas, Heritage Society of Pacific Grove, Monterey Museum of Art and many others.

Her interest in geology and geography where part of her fascination with maps, earthquakes and seismic safety preparedness. With a passion for quilters and quilting she was a collector and supporter with memberships in the San Jose Museum of Quilts and the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum. An avid gardener, she was a Historic Garden League member of Monterey State Historic Park Adobe Gardens and a part of the garden team at Monterey Museum of Art at La Mirada.

Friends and family long enjoyed her baking, especially cookies, homemade jam, salad dressing and meals. With a young family, her goal was trying 50 new recipes each year. She even wrote a short family cookbook.

Nancy loved Salinas, living there for 31 years where she enjoyed the climate and close proximity to the Pacific Ocean. She moved to The Parkview in Pleasanton, located close to her daughter Kathren, in late 2025.

Nancy’s daughter Kathren wishes to thank the staff at The Parkview in Pleasanton for the care, attentiveness and kindness they provided these past ten months. She is also immensely grateful to Hope Hospice for the comfort, compassion and professional care they provided during Nancy’s last two weeks.

Nancy is survived by her children Karsten, Kathren (John), and Erik (Sarah, grandchildren Alexandra, Sean). Per her wishes Nancy had her ashes scattered in the Pacific Ocean just outside her beloved Monterey Bay with immediate family in attendance.

A small memorial service will be held on a later date at St. Mary’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Pacific Grove. For updated information please check www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/brentwood-ca/nancy-iversen-13024994