1949 ~ 2023

Nancy Claire Evans, 73, passed away from complications from ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, on February 26th, 2023. Born in Washington, DC on May 5th, 1949 to her parents Morten Beyer and Jane Hartman Beyer, Nancy was the second of four children and enjoyed telling others that her birthday was Cinco de Mayo. Her older sister Barbara preceded her in death, but Nancy is survived by her younger brothers James and William, and her children Jacob and William, and their partners Sarah and Haley, respectively.

A world traveler from an early age, Nancy lived overseas with her family and attended high school in Europe and the United States while her father worked in aviation. Nancy attended George School in Pennsylvania, the American Community School in Lebanon, and the International Quakerschool Beverweert in Holland. She then studied non-Western cultures at Callison College in California and India, and Miami-Dade Junior College in Florida, before finally obtaining her degree in Education at Indiana University.

Nancy married her former husband James Evans in 1973 and had two sons before the family moved to Massachusetts, where she found her calling in residential real estate. Nancy made life-long friends through her work, and thrived in the town of Acton where her family settled down. Eventually, Nancy moved to Boxborough and continued to be a large part of Acton life even after she and James parted ways.

Nancy was always a horse girl, and her love of riding never ended, even teaching her kids to ride. She was a part of Acton’s adult community education scene, teaching volleyball every Wednesday for years. Real estate gave her many opportunities to practice her love of photography. Nancy was very active politically, as a member of the League of Women Voters and president of the Women’s Council of Realtors. She was also a skier, regularly disappearing on Wild Women’s Weekends into the White Mountains with her friends.

History and its preservation mattered to Nancy as well, leading her to specialize in selling historic homes and her work on the board of Iron Work Farms, an organization dedicated to preserving historical buildings in Acton. Music was another passion, making Nancy a regular at the open mike nights at Main Street Cafe in Concord and other parts of the local music scene. That’s how she met Larry, a guitarist and her last great love, before his passing.

Driving was one of Nancy’s favorite things to do – her car was her second office, and when she had free time she would explore the local roads until she knew them like the back of her hand. Road trips were a preferred way for her to travel with family and with friends (although she’d happily fly anywhere, and did). She’d often repeat a family motto: “Never go the same way twice.”

Nancy loved her family and her friends and exploring the world together with them. Nothing can make up for her loss, but keeping her spirit of adventure alive will keep her alive in us. As she signed off on every email, Nancy was “Friend, Colleague, Steward of History & Music, Adventurer.”

A memorial service for Nancy will be on Saturday, June 17th, 2023, beginning at 2:00 PM at Framingham Friends Meeting at 841 Edmands Rd, Framingham, MA 01701.