Nancy Ross Smith 1924-2021 Obituary
Nancy Ross Smith, age 97, died on December 21, 2021, at Davis Medical Center. She had been a resident at Colonial Place (now Mountain Memories) for two years prior to admission to the hospital.
She was born on September 23, 1924, in Monrovia, California, the daughter of Frank Fullerton Ross and Ethel Ornduff Ross. She grew up in Carthage, Missouri, where she graduated from high school.
During World War II, she lived in Detroit, Michigan, where she attended Wayne University and worked until the war ended. Thereafter, she moved to the San Francisco, California area, where her working career included: Service Representative for Pacific Telephone and Telegraph; Missions Secretary at First Presbyterian Church, Office Manager, Western Girl/Western Employers Service, and Secretary to the Foreign Student Advisor, U.C., Berkeley.
In 1966 she was married to Delancey Smith of Berkeley, California, who preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by her sister, Martha F. Ross, and her brother, Dr. Thomas R. Ross.
She is survived by two nieces, Anne Hickling (Butch) of Los Altos, California , and Laurie Ross Taylor (Rick) of Albuquerque, New Mexico, two nephews, Fred Hickling (Rose) of Little Rock, Arkansas, and Thomas R Ross II (Vidia) of Elkins. She had four great nieces, Amanda Lee Ross of Columbus, Ohio, Natalia Ross Schooley (Ryan) of Davidson, North Carolina, Teresa Ross Taylor (Sean) of Albuquerque, New Mexico and Hannah Ross Taylor of Denver, Colorado, a great nephew, Aaron Hickling of Little Rock Arkansas, and two great great nieces, Kennedy Ross Schooley and Addison Ross Schooley of Davidson, North Carolina.
After their marriage in 1966, Nancy and Delancey lived for several years in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While there, Nancy worked part time for Western Employers, and then as Secretary to the Director of the Alumni Office at Moore College of Art. In July 1973, the Smiths returned to the San Francisco, California area. Nancy became employed by Standard Oil Company of California, which later became Chevron Corporation. She held various positions at Chevron, and retired from there as a Human Resource Representative in 1986. During her retirement years, she became a volunteer at Alta Bates Hospital working in the hospital gift shop.
Mrs. Smith moved to Elkins in 2004 to live with her brother, Dr. Ross. In Elkins, she was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and Davis and Elkins College Aid. She was a member of the Davis Memorial Presbyterian Church. She was an avid Scrabble player and played regularly with her friends Barbara Tedford, Grace Sundelin, Jean Snedegar, and Sue Core.
The family requests that gifts in her memory be made as donations to Davis Memorial Presbyterian Church or Davis and Elkins College.
At Mrs. Smith’s request, her remains will be cremated and interred in California next to her husband. A memorial service will be held at the church at a later date.
Nancy Ross Smith 1924-2021 Obituary
