Nancy Libson

On July 27, 2026, Nancy Libson, 79, of Annapolis, MD, passed away peacefully in Pittsburgh, PA. Born February 15, 1947 in Pittsburgh, Nancy’s parents were Pittsburgh attorney Sylvan Libson and Margaret Segal Libson, well known Pittsburgh community activist and Pittsburgh public school teacher and subsequently Annapolis community activist, both of whom preceded Nancy in passing. Her brother, Franklin B. (Sally) Libson, a CPA in Pittsburgh’s North Hills, also preceded Nancy in passing. She is survived by her brother Robert (Dori) Libson, a long time Annapolis builder now residing in Carbondale, Colorado. She is also survived by her beloved nieces and nephew: Judy (Brandon) McAuley; Karen (Chris) Morrow; Brittany Libson (Dereje) Girma; and Bradley Sylvan(Marina) Libson as well as eight grand nieces and nephews: Micah, Gavin & Althea McAuley; Ansel & Sage Morrow; Julien, Lucas & Miles Girma.

Nancy’s personal life was all about family, friends, kindness, and loyalty. She cherished her vast number of family celebrations and vacations, especially trips to Cape Cod with her parents and siblings which began in the mid-1950’s and continued almost every summer with friends and some family members all the way into the 2020’s, and trips to St. Maarten with her brother Franklin and his family. Her friendships–several of which date from her immediate post-graduate school years in Washington, D.C. and were longstanding, fifty or more years–reflected the same love, kindness and loyalty she felt toward her entire family and extended family. Her family and friends loved her back and will cherish the many memories of cooking and enjoying delicious meals with Nancy, who was a “foodie” long before it was en vogue. Over her lifetime, her family also included her four Wheaten terriers, whom she called her “Little Men”, Rudy, Finnegan, Sullivan and Murphy, each of whom she spoiled shamelessly. A friend said, “She knew how to say “no” to people but could never bring herself to say “no” to them.

Nancy graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh in 1964, then received a B.A. from Cornell University in 1968, and completed her education at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs where she received a Masters Degree in Public Administration. That was followed by nearly fifty years of professional success in public policy positions primarily in Housing and Regional Development which included a number of years in Washington at The Appalachian Regional Development Commission and several years working first as Senior Staff and then as Staff Director for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services, Subcommittee on Housing and Community Development. Nancy’s last years as a professional were spent at Leading Age in Washington where she concentrated on matters involving affordable service enriched senior housing–no one knew the intricacies of low income senior housing like she did. After she completed her professional work, she focused on Community Service serving both as a reading tutor for first and second grade students in Annapolis in the Stair Annapolis Program and served as Chairperson for the Annapolis Affordable Housing and Community Equity Development Committee.

Nancy’s passing is a profound loss to her family and friends. Her life was a great gift to those whose lives she touched. A private family burial will be held on August 2, 2026 in Pittsburgh. Her life will be celebrated at a memorial service In Annapolis in early Autumn. Please consider a donation to Stair Annapolis or NCJW Pittsburgh in her memory.