Nancy was born Dec. 22, 1921, in Philadelphia, where she attended Germantown Friends School through high school. She then attended Wellesley College and served in student government.
Upon graduation, she enlisted in the Navy as a WAVE. While in the Navy, Nancy was stationed in Washington, D.C., where she and other WAVES worked in a top-secret office to break the Japanese Code JN-25. While on leave, she traveled to Maine with fellow Wave Mary Titcomb and met Mary’s older brother, James, who was home on medical leave from his duties as a naval officer.
At the conclusion of the war, Nancy enrolled in Radcliffe College to study marketing. She renewed her friendship with James (Jim) Titcomb, a law student at Boston University. Friendship blossomed into love; Jim and Nancy were married in 1947 upon Jim’s graduation from law school. The couple resided in Sanford, raising three children: Marcy, Ted and Will.
Nancy was involved in numerous volunteer activities: church choir, a deaconess, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, school committee, PTA, band boosters, Meals on Wheels, a literacy program, a Laudholm Farm hostess, and Books Revisited in support of visiting nurses. Nancy was a talented artist, and had a lifelong love of painting and crafting.
Nancy made her family, friends and community her primary focus. She touched all who knew her with a graceful spirit, and her life will be remembered as a shining example of loving service.
She is survived by: her three children and their families, Marcy Kudirka and husband Paul of Wayland, Massachusetts, Edward (Ted) Titcomb, with whom she resided in Springvale, and William Titcomb and wife Floresca (Flo) of Annandale, Virginia; four grandchildren, Joseph Kudirka and wife Ashley of Burke, Virginia, Vincent Kudirka and wife Suzanne of Novato, California, James Titcomb of Annandale, and Virginia and Sarah Titcomb of Sanford; two great-grandchildren, Chloe Kudirka and Samuel Kudirka of Burke; and three nephews, Barton Knight and wife Stephanie of Cumberland, Daniel Knight and wife Beda of North Yarmouth, and Lendall Knight of Arlington, Virginia.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, at North Parish Congregational Church, Sanford.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to: North Parish Congregational Church, 895 Main St., Sanford, ME 04073; Sanford/Springvale YMCA, 1 Emile Levasseur Drive, Sanford, ME 04073; or Wellesley College, Office of Development Services, 106 Central St., Wellesley, MA 02481.
Arrangements are under the direction of Carll-Heald & Black Funeral Home, 580 Main St., Springvale. Condolences may be expressed at blackfuneralhomes.com.
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