Nancy Kay Fitzpatrick (Williams) Chapman
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Nancy died at home in Anacortes, WA surrounded by her family, including grandchildren banging on the piano. She was raised in the Seattle area, spent 20 years oversees with her first husband, Allan, birthing and raising four children in seven countries, and ultimately settled in Anacortes for the last third of her life with Dick Chapman.
Committed to the community wherever she lived, Nancy was generous with her time and resources?caring for foster babies, being a companion to elderly people, volunteering as a reading assistant at schools, supporting homeless or undocumented neighbors, and protecting the wilderness. She can be best described as a quiet philanthropist, even turning her profession of owning rental houses into a community service by keeping rents below market.
Nancy was a do-it-yourselfer, more comfortable in a paint-stained sweatshirt than anything else. She was a crossword puzzle fan and an avid reader, curious about other cultures, food, and world events. She was always interested in the backstory, not just the headline. She probably clipped and mailed you articles. She talked about privilege before it was trendy. For all her generosity, Nancy was candid?subtlety wasn't her style. She loved a good laugh and had a dry sense of humor, certainly embedded in the resilience that carried her through the loss of two children (Kate & Beth) and a husband before she was 50. She wore a pair of socks that said, "this Grandma has seen some sh#t." Her humor was still there in her final days.
Nancy is survived by her loving husband, Dick Chapman; her son Dave Williams, his spouse Brenda and their three children; her daughter, Karen Williams, her spouse Rick Gherst and their two children; and her brother, Don Fitzpatrick, who still tells bad jokes. Nancy loved community and gathering with people for good food, but she never wanted attention, so at her request, there will be no service. If you want to honor her, please donate to a nonprofit or plant a native tree. She appreciated a funny card, so send a card to someone you love to give them a laugh and share why they matter in your life.