Nancy Jean Clements

Mrs. Nancy Jean Oswald Clements, 53, passed away peacefully on July 11, 2013 after a seven-year battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Nancy was born on the northwest side of Chicago as the daughter of Robert and Almeda Oswald. She met her husband, Trevor, while they both were attending high school in Mt Prospect, IL. Following their graduation from Augustana College in Illinois, Nancy and Trevor were married in 1982 and moved to Durham, North Carolina for Trevor to complete his graduate work at Duke University. In addition to giving birth to and raising two wonderful children, Benjamin and Jillian, Nancy earned her professional engineering license in mechanical engineering.

Following a strong career as an engineering consultant, Nancy was hired as the engineering manager for Purdue Pharma, a pharmaceutical manufacturer located in Wilson. Nancy loved her work and made her mark helping Purdue to expand its facility. She touched many lives along her journey including as a Sunday school teacher, children’s team soccer coach (Go Meteors), mentor of young women engineering students at NCSU, President of the Triangle Chapter of ASHRAE, mom, neighbor and friend.

After her ALS diagnosis and leave from Purdue, Nancy continued to give to others, becoming the editor and publisher of the neighborhood newsletter, research fund raiser for ASHRAE, and as an advocate and fund raiser for the ALS Association Catfish Hunter Chapter. She participated in multiple research experiments and clinical trials to help find a cure for ALS.

Nancy is survived by her husband Trevor, children Benjamin and Jillian, parents Robert and Almeda Oswald, and brother Steven Oswald.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, August 10, 2013 at 3:00 pm at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary’s Street, Raleigh, NC. The family will receive friends following the service at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the Catfish Hunter Chapter of ALSA on behalf of Nancy’s Crew, 4 N. Blount St. 2nd Floor, Raleigh, NC 27601, [email protected].

Nancy's husband Trevor, in lieu of flowers, asks that memorial contributions be made in Nancy's memory to the Catfish Hunter Chapter of ALSA.