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Nancy Elizabeth Woodbury, 72, passed away peacefully on August 29, 2025, in Portland, Oregon. Born on January 4, 1953, in Worcester, Massachusetts, Nancy grew up in Sudbury, where she attended Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School. In 1971, she was honored with the title Miss Sudbury. She went on to earn a degree in Human Development at Tufts University, followed by a master’s degree in Speech Pathology from Boston University.
In 1979, she married and moved to California with her husband, where they settled in Davis and raised their three children. Their marriage ended in divorce after 22 years, but Nancy remained in Davis for more than four decades, building a full and meaningful life.
Nancy began her career as a licensed speech and language therapist, specializing in diagnosing and treating communication challenges in children. She later held positions with the Health Officer Association of California, the California Department of Health Statistics, and the UC Davis Medical Center’s Department of Pediatrics. At the height of the AIDS crisis, she actively engaged with the Center for AIDS Research and Education Services in Sacramento.
Over time, Nancy developed a second career as a fundraiser and grant writer for community-based organizations. She secured funding for programs such as Healthy Start, community resource centers through the Sierra Health Foundation, and youth resiliency initiatives—work that expanded access to preventive and primary health care for families across California. In her later years, she volunteered with the ACLU, briefly serving as Director of its Northern California chapter, and was an active supporter of Elizabeth Warren’s political campaigns, particularly during a period when she lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Nancy enjoyed a life enriched by her passions and relationships. She was an avid walker and loved hiking in the Sierra Nevada, attending film festivals, and listening to music—especially Van Morrison and playing Canon in D on the piano. A night owl at heart, she loved unwinding with late-night comedy and talk shows. She welcomed exchange students into her Davis home and kept in touch with many long after they returned abroad. Known as a thoughtful and generous gift-giver, especially to her grandchildren, she delighted in making others feel special. With her sharp wit and command of language, she was nearly unbeatable at Scrabble. She also cherished travel, particularly to the ocean, creating countless memories with her family.
Nancy’s legacy lives on in the values she passed to her children and grandchildren: a commitment to community, a love of learning, and an appreciation of life’s simple joys.
She is survived by her three children, Bryce (Leah Cohen) Carey, Ian (Jackie) Carey, and Meredith Carey; six grandchildren, Emma, Liam, Noah, Wyatt, Sienna, and Stella; her mother, Elizabeth Woodbury, and brothers, Mark (Cindy) Woodbury and Peter Woodbury. She was preceded in death by her father, Lloyd Woodbury.
Private family services will be held in Massachusetts.