Nancy Marlene (Guilford) Sain was born on April 1, 1953 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and passed away at the age of 67 on March 31, 2021. It would be an understatement to say that she’s missed by all -- after all, the world will never be the same without her. Nancy was such a dynamic, energetic, funny, feisty, intelligent, and determined lady. She loved playing chess with her daughter, Monica (especially when she got the chance to take Monica’s queen!). She and Monica were so spirited (and loud!) while playing chess, often dramatically crying out, “Oh, no!!!” when a key chess piece was taken. They loved listening to old-school music and eating pizza or subs while playing.
Nancy had an adventurous spirit. Even the way she met her husband (the late, great Donell Sain) was adventurous! They met on a Caribbean cruise in the 1970s and married on March 17, 1979. With a spirit of adventure, in 1982, they moved to San Jose, California, with their baby daughter, Monica, riding along with them in the silver Buick Century. Later, Nancy attended West Valley College (often with elementary school-aged Monica in tow), earned straight-As, and graduated with her associate’s degree in liberal arts in 1992. After graduating from West Valley College, she studied marketing at Santa Clara University. Nancy was the first in her family to attend college, setting an inspiring example for her daughter.
Volunteering in many roles was such a joy for Nancy. She loved working as a volunteer ESL teacher, assisting cancer survivors at the American Cancer Society’s wig bank, and working with the Fistula Foundation. She also loved taking college courses, traveling, shopping the sales at the thrift stores, watching PBS, attending plays and concerts, spending time at the beach or Big Basin, and so many more activities. She was (and continues to be) an inspiration to everyone who knew her.
Nancy is survived by her daughter, Monica Sain, and a host of relatives and friends, and is preceded in death by her husband, Donell Sain; mother, Winifred Jones; father, William Guilford; brother, Darrell Guilford; grandmother, Eva Williams; grandmother, Nancy Guilford, Senior; and grandfather, Sam Williams.
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