Nancy Clare John, age 66, of Waynesboro died of kidney failure on December 26 ^th , 2019.

Nancy suffered from Bipolar Disorder during most of her adult life, and living with mental illness was challenging for her and for her family and friends. Nancy, however, would be the first one to tell you that she had a good life.  Her kidney failure was the result of the side effects of the years of medication treatment for her disorder, and while it enabled her to live independently, it ultimately was the cause of her death.  She bore this illness with courage and grace.

Nancy was born on March 2, 1953 in Schenectady, New York, the daughter of Bill and Mary John.  Her dad was with the first group of men and women who came to Waynesboro to open the GE Plant around 1955.  Nancy grew up in Waynesboro and graduated in 1971 from Waynesboro High School.  Upon graduation, Nancy was employed as a governess for three children in Salzburg, Austria, living in a real castle!  Many scenes from the Sound of Music were filmed in Salzburg, including the mirrored ballroom in the castle where she lived.  She also worked for Aurora School, GE, UVA Medical Center, and Uffinger and Associates. Nancy was a talented writer who especially loved to write poetry and would often write special poems for her family and friends. She was a life-long member of St. John's Catholic Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister Marian, a brother Michael, and nieces Meghan Snoddy, Bridget Snoddy and nephew Sean Snoddy.  She is survived by her three sisters Maggie Snoddy (Vernon), Chris Kenderdine, and Eileen Burns (Jerry), and also nieces and nephews Patrick Snoddy, Ryan Snoddy, Tom Kenderdine, Mary Kenderdine Naguit (Noel), James Burns, Kaila Burns and four great nieces and nephews.

The family wants to thank the Hospice of the Shenandoah doctors and nurses, the Valley Community Services Board staff, and also Nancy's many caregivers who enabled the family to keep her in her home these last two months.  She was blessed beyond measure to have so many loving, caring friends at Springdale.  A special thank you goes to her very close friends Bob and Mary Scott Miller, and Elizabeth Miller, all of Waynesboro.

We are also grateful to her many other friends and classmates who visited her, called her, and sent cards and notes, including a small Christmas tree completely decorated with angels.  Angels were always very special to Nancy, and Elizabeth Miller was a real angel who came into Nancy's life and filled it with joy and purpose.

In lieu of flowers, it was Nancy's request that donations be made to the National Down Syndrome Congress or to the Meghan Snoddy Memorial Scholarship at Buckingham County High School, 78 Knights Road, Buckingham, VA 23921, or even better, do a random act of kindness for a stranger.  As Mark Twain said, "Kindness is the language the deaf can hear and the blind can see."

A celebration of Nancy's life will be held on Saturday, February 15 ^th at 11 AM at St. John's Catholic Church in Waynesboro.