Nancy Wales Swaffield

Nancy Wales Swaffield passed away peacefully at her home in Wolfeboro on September 21, 2019 at the age of 93.  She was born on June 30, 1926, the daughter of James Albert Wales, Jr. and Ethel Beach Wales of Stratford, Connecticut. She attended Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro and graduated in 1944. She attended the University of New Hampshire, majoring in English. During the summers of her high school and college years she worked and lived at Beaver Brook Farm in East Alton with the Erickson family.

She married Gordon Douglas Swaffield in 1947 and they resided in East Alton, New Hampshire before moving to Wolfeboro in 1958. Nancy worked for 7-1/2 years as secretary to the principal at Kingswood Regional High School from its opening in 1964 and then part-time at the family business, The Kingswood Press, for several years.

Nancy was a consummate homemaker, excelling in cooking, knitting, sewing and gardening. She made most of her own clothes and knitted countless sweaters and hats for all of her family members. She also made drapes, curtains and slip covers. She was an avid hiker and summited Mt. Washington as a 70 year-old. She loved both alpine and cross country skiing and once skied across the Frankenstein Trestle in Crawford Notch. Bretton Woods was her favorite New Hampshire ski area, but she loved to visit her daughter Holly in Colorado and tackle the Rockies.

In addition to her love of the outdoors, Nancy also loved to sing and harmonize, act in local plays, was a voracious reader and was an expert at complex crossword puzzles up until her death. She and husband Bud were world travelers, with trips to Austria, Barbados, Bermuda, Greece and Hawaii.

She leaves her children, daughter Carol Ridlon and husband Reggie of Sun City Center, Florida, son Bill Swaffield and his wife Becky of Wolfeboro, daughter Holly Swaffield of Breckenridge, Colorado, four beloved grandchildren, Lisa Ridlon, Laura Ridlon Gebhart, Willie Swaffield, Whitney Swaffield Walker and four great grandchildren, Emma and Evan Gebhart and Hazel and June Walker. She was preceded in death by her husband Bud and granddaughter Hilary Swaffield.

There are no calling hours or service at this time. Donations in her memory may be made in her name to the Central NH VNA/Hospice, PO Box 1620, Wolfeboro, NH 03894 or the Lakes Region Conservation Trust, PO Box 766, Center Harbor, NH 03226.

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