BUXTON- Nancy A. Ryder was the daughter of Warren D. and Virgie L. Skillin Nason. Nancy was born October 7, 1937, in Springvale, Maine and died June 4, 2024, in Bradenton, Florida. She lived in Portland until the age of 8 years, when she moved to Bar Mills, Maine. She attended Bar Mills Grammar School and graduated from Samuel D. Hanson High School (Buxton High School) in 1955. She married Dana C. Ryder on January 27, 1961. She started work with Union Mutual Life Insurance Company in 1955. She retired from L.L. Bean, Inc. in 1993 as Senior Payroll Clerk. She then went to work at Mercy Hospital and retired from there in April 2003. She was a Past Master of Saco River Grange #488, Past Matron of Longfellow Chapter #61, and a member of Corner Stone #193 OES, and Star Light #203 OES, and served as District Deputy Grand Matron of the Grand Chapter of Maine from 1997 to 1999. She served as Grand Representative of Mississippi in Maine from 2010-2012. She was a member of the Maine OES Flag and Drill Team. Served as Queen of Arok Temple No. 94 Daughters of the Nile in 1998, after which she served as Supreme Escort to the Canadian Flag in 2000, Supreme American Flag Bearer in 2007, a member of the Supreme Temple Action Team Committee in 2010-2012 and served as Chairman of the Supreme Temple Action Team Committee in 2013 and 2014, and Vice-Chairman 2015-2019. She was a former member of the Bar Mills Baptist Church, and a member of Little Falls Bible Church in Gorham.
She enjoyed traveling to all 50 states, 10 of the Canadian Provinces, Mexico, Egypt, and the Caribbean.
She is survived by her husband Dana of 63 years, her daughter, Wanda Lee Roberts (John) of Buxton, and son, Dana Warren Ryder (Susan) of Buxton. One stepson Cleveland L. Ryder (Tammy) of Buxton and a stepdaughter Sheryl Brown (Curt), and stepson-in law Sean Shanahan all of Raymond. She is survived by her grandsons John A. Roberts, Jr (Amy) of Whitakers, N.C., James Roberts (Cassie) of Buxton, Jeremy Roberts (Ashley) of Scottsdale, AZ, and Nicholas J. H. Ryder of Buxton; her granddaughter Elizabeth Anne Ryder of Buxton and granddaughter Tyler Nicole Redstone of Biddeford, She is also survived by great-granddaughters Trinity and Lily of Buxton, and Isobella of Whitakers, N.C. and Rosaly Roberts of Scottsdale, AZ., step-granddaughters Hayden and Leyna Gagnon of Scottsdale, AZ, Jocelyn Roberts of Livermore, and McKenzie Roberts of Steep Falls, a great-grandson Landen Roberts of Whitakers, N.C., 8 step-grandchildren and 13 step-great grandchildren. Her sisters-in-law, Joanne Ryder of Bradenton, FL, and LouAnn Ryder of Westbrook, ME, and several nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was predeceased by her parents, brothers, Philip I. Nason and infant brother Bruce E. Nason, sister Marcia Cote, and stepdaughter Sheila Shanahan in 2014, brothers-in-law Duane C. Ryder and Clayburn L. Ryder, in 2015, and Ernest W. Ryder, in 2021.
Visitation will be held on Saturday June 29th from 10 - 11 AM, followed by a memorial service at 11 AM at the Little Falls Bible Church, 746 Gray Road, Gorham.
In lieu of flowers please make donations in her memory to Arok Temple No. 94 Daughters of the Nile to be used “for the children” at the Shrine Hospitals, or to the Little Falls Bible Church to be used for (OCC), Operation Christmas Child, 746 Gray Rd. Gorham, ME.