Nancy Maynard Norris

Nancy Maynard Norris died peacefully on August 18th, 2019 surrounded by her loving family. She was born in Flushing, New York on October 5th, 1925 to Irene Johnston Maynard and Herbert Maynard, Jr. After graduating from Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore, she trained as a medical stenographer and pursued that career for several years in NYC working for the Standard Oil Company. She married Allan Turnbull Norris on July 22nd, 1956 and together they resided in Princeton, NJ until they moved to Ruxton, MD in 1959. For the next 22 years she dedicated herself to the raising of her three beloved children, and began her lifelong commitment to volunteer work. Among others, she worked for the WISH ( Women in Self Help) organization, the Fresh Air Fund, and the Greater Baltimore Medical Center. She was also active socially with her bridge and garden clubs, and recreationally with skiing, tennis and paddle tennis at the L’Hirondelle Club. In 1981 she and Allan moved to Dorset, Vermont and opened a bed and breakfast called The Little Lodge at Dorset which they ran happily together for the next 17 years. They still made time and were fortunate to travel to far away continents together during the slower seasons. During those years and afterwards she continued to volunteer and gave her time to the Food Cupboard, the Neighbor to Neighbor program, and The Manchester Thrift Shop. After Allan died, she eventually moved from Dorset to Equinox Village in Manchester where she resided since with her devoted canine companion, Buttercup. She was also a dedicated and active member of The United Church of Dorset and participated in many of the charitable causes run by the Ladies of the Church. Nancy loved life and lived it to the fullest. Eternally positive, (she was often referred to as ‘Pollyanna) caring and generous of spirit, she was known for her sharp wit and direct manner. She loved to be active and never missed an opportunity for adventure and fun. Hers was a world of color, rich with music, dancing, birds, flowers, friends and above all, family. Her greatest joy was to be together with her whole family and she often created opportunities for this to happen as family vacations at Squam Lake or Martha’s Vineyard. She is survived by her three children, Allan T. Norris, Jr. of South Burlington, Vermont, Susan Norris-Berry of Newark, Ohio, and Laura Norris of Underhill, Vermont and her seven beloved and devoted grandchildren, Tucker Deady, Dakota Deady, Ryland Berry, JK Berry, Grayson Berry, Ashley Norris and Kimberly Norris and by her very special niece Kathleen Page Willis and nephew Charles Perkins. A memorial service will be held at The United Church of Dorset on September 14th, 2019 at Noon. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Manchester Food Cupboard and/or The Alzheimer’s Association in care of Brewster -Shea Funeral Services, PO Box 885, Manchester Center, Vermont 05255. To send the family personal condolences please visit www.sheafuneralhomes.com.