Nancy Freeman Jordan

Nancy Freeman Jordan passed away on November 13th, 2025 in West Chester, PA after three years of braving pancreatic cancer.

Ms. Freeman was born in Utica, NY, the youngest child of Margaret (Drake) and Cedric Freeman of Boonville, NY. Her family owned the Freeman Jewelry Store on Main Street in Boonville for many years, where her father specialized in clockmaking and repair. Mr. Freeman also built a series of woodland camps on neighboring lakes that the family enjoyed every summer. These experiences would prove formative in shaping Nancy’s lifelong passion for the natural world and the Boonville area.

Nancy graduated from Boonville High School in 1967 and obtained a B.A. in communications from Boston University in 1971. It was here that she met Dr. Robert Jordan, her future husband who was completing PhD studies in biochemistry. Their relationship grew between the city and frequent visits to the ocean, including their favorite beaches in Plum Island, MA. In 1977, the couple were married in an Adirondack woodland chapel and shared their honeymoon in Bermuda. This set the stage for a lifelong love of travel and new experiences together. Nancy enjoyed researching and planning trips that combined nature and history. Italy, France, the Netherlands, Greece, and Hawai’i were especially cherished destinations throughout their travels.

In 1979, Nancy and Rob moved to Contra Costa County, CA. With their daughter Pamela (born in 1981), they explored the landscape and parks around Walnut Creek, CA and made life-long friendships. In 1986, the family moved to Chester County, PA and eventually Thornton, PA, where Nancy devoted herself to tending a beloved historic stone farmhouse and garden. Every summer led to the Freeman family cabin on Brantingham Lake, NY, where Nancy also dedicated herself to its care, along with maintaining childhood friendships in the Boonville area, with equal enthusiasm. Every home was always filled with delicious food and cherished rescue animals: an orange and gray cat were always present, which were on occasion joined by a parakeet or fish as well. Even the wildlife around the home were looked after, as Nancy actively fostered an outdoor environment for butterflies, bluebirds, and other songbirds. During her illness, a family of nesting geese outside her window brought her unending joy.

Nancy’s curiosity and pursuits were rich and varied. She was the family historian, spending decades carefully tracing the genealogy on both the Freeman and Jordan lines. An avid reader and film viewer, she had a love of language and enjoyed learning French. She was also talented in sewing, painting, rug making, playing classical piano, horticulture, and cooking, as well as interior home decoration. Her gifts in the latter would benefit the visitors and staff of the world-renowned Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library in Wilmington, DE, one of the richest collections of Americana and decorative arts in the United States. Beginning in 2002, Nancy was a master museum guide for almost 20 years. Her expertise enabled her to provide tours for visitors of all ages and interests, from children to antique specialists. Given her father’s profession, Nancy was especially interested in timepieces, as she still owned several of the clocks her father had made. She also felt great kinship with her fellow guides, always wishing to share her knowledge as well as continue learning. She will be remembered warmly by those she built close bonds and friendships with at this institution. A tree in the Winterthur grounds will be dedicated in her honor.

Nancy is survived by her loving husband Rob of Thornton, PA and daughter Pamela (A.M. Gómez López) of Amsterdam, NL. She is also survived by her sister Beverly “Bonnie” Poppleton (Terry) of York, ME, her brother Cedric Randall “Randy” Freeman (Sharon) of Houston, TX, nieces Michelle Poppleton Chumsae (York, ME) and Candice Freeman Sherman (Atlanta, GA), and nephew Michael Poppleton (Brooklyn, NY).

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a time of remembrance, from 12 Noon until 2:00 P.M., on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at Trainor Funeral Home, Inc. 143 Schuyler St. Boonville, NY. A private interment will be in Boonville Cemetery.

In her memory and as a tribute to her strength, please consider contributing to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, contributions address: P.O. Box 5041, Boone, Iowa 50950-0041.