Nancy Beck Hoggson

Norwich, Vermont-

Nancy Beck Hoggson, 73, died the morning of Friday, January 9, 2015 at Mt. Ascutney Hospital after a courageous battle with cancer. She passed away surrounded by her two children, who will miss her dearly.

Born on June 1, 1941 in Toronto, Canada, Nancy was the daughter of Frederick and Marjorie Beck. She was a graduate of Havergal College in Toronto and the Katherine Gibbs School in New York City.

Nancy was proud of her heritage . . . her great-grandfather emigrated from Germany and established a successful logging company near Georgian Bay, Ontario. (He had the quaint idea that if he paid his employees in "Beck coins," which could only be redeemed at the company store, he was sparing them the pain of drinking alcohol!) Georgian Bay became the family's traditional gathering place and remained near and dear to Nancy until her death.

Nancy spent over 20 years in and around New York City working for the Rockefeller family, major magazines and finally at the Association of Junior Leagues in NYC as the Director of Adolescent Pregnancy Programs. She also established one of the country's first shelters for victims of domestic violence.

In 1988, she settled in Norwich and began work at the Dartmouth College Medical School. Never afraid to make a statement and too sensible to turn down a good deal, as a new resident of Norwich, Nancy purchased her legendary pink Dodge Colt Vista—a car that truly stood out and will be forever remembered by her children. Later in her career and thankfully in a different car, she lent her talents to both the Gifford Medical Center in Randolph, VT and the American Precision Museum in Windsor, VT.

Over the course of nearly 30 years, Nancy became an institution in the town of Norwich. She had a passion for politics and was deeply involved in the local community. She was always ready to debate the issues, whether over a cup of coffee or a glass of chardonnay. She served on the Selectboard from 2002-2004, shaping the course of town politics on issues big and small. In fact, her ideas earned her a reputation as a voice of reason at the town dump and she was proud of her work there. She was devoted to the Norwich Historical Society, where she volunteered for many years and for the past five years served as president. Her passion for Norwich history was always infectious and she was known to declare that "Everybody in Norwich should be a member of the NHS." She will be remembered as an active member and strong voice in both the Vermont and the National Democratic Party, an accomplished knitter, and a terrific cook and baker who loved museums, gardening and spending time with her family.

She is predeceased by her brother, Freddy Beck.

Nancy is survived by her two children, Julia Vandenoever (Boulder, CO) and Jamie Hoggson (Los Angeles, CA); her son-in-law, Casey Vandenoever; and her two grandchildren, Madeleine and Grayson Vandenoever.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, January 31 at 2 PM at the Norwich Congregational Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Norwich Historical Society, PO Box 1690, Norwich, VT 05055.