The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Nancy B. Seaward, beloved wife, mother, sister, and Nana, passed away on July 21, 2021, due to complications of cardiac heart failure. She was born in Laconia, New Hampshire, and raised in Newton Highlands, Massachusetts with her older brother, John, and parents, Harold and Mildred Burnham. They spent summers at the family home on Mount Desert Island, Maine.

Nancy attended the University of Maine, Orono, earning her bachelor’s degree in Education in 1959. Always an outdoor enthusiast, Nancy became a member and officer of The Maine Outing Club, and it was during this time that she met forestry student, Warren P. Seaward. Immediately after her graduation in 1959, they married and their honeymoon was spent driving to Quilcene, Washington, to begin their life together. They had two daughters, Christine, born in 1960, and Linda, born in 1961.

Nancy was always the educator, tutoring special education students in Quilcene and, in 1968, when they moved to the Ripplebrook Ranger Station, Mt. Hood National Forest, she became the health and PE teacher for the Three Lynx School.

While on the Mt. Hood, they reconnected with their love of Nordic skiing and became very active members of the Oregon Nordic Club.

In 1978, they moved to Sisters.

While Nancy enjoyed her Nordic skiing on the snow-covered roads of the Deschutes National Forest, she was eager to have more dedicated Nordic ski trails.

Partnering with her Forest Service husband and the Sisters Ranger District they planned and designed the Warren and Nancy Nordic Trails at the Three Creeks Sno-Park in the Deschutes National Forest.

After Warren’s retirement, they started traveling each year to stay on Sanibel Island, Florida, eventually spending six months in Florida and six months in Oregon. Nancy always loved to be busy and involved, which led her to be active in the Homeowners Associations in Sage Woods, and Gulf Shores, Sanibel. She volunteered her time for many years to the High Desert Museum, Sisters Habitat Thrift Store, Sanibel Senior Center and the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation.

Nancy was a bright, fun-loving spirit and was always ready for whatever adventure was around the corner. She is deeply missed by her husband of 62 years, Warren, brother, John Burnham (Becky), daughters, Chris Brophy (Marv), Linda Bafford (Bob Hennings), grandson Seth (Krystal), granddaughter Kala (Scott), and her great-grandchildren.

A family celebration of life will be held at a later date. The family wishes to express gratitude to the wonderful RNs and CNAs at St. Charles Hospital, Bend, as well as the warm and caring people at the Partners in Care Hospice House. Contributions in Nancy’s memory can be made to High Desert Museum or Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation.