Nancy Joy WOODS

NANCY JOY WOODS We are saddened to announce the passing of Nancy Joy Woods, with dignity and peace at Toronto Western Hospital, December 15, 2023, in her 86th year. Loved by husband, Huntly C.R. Christie; adored mother of Jennifer and Paul (Cynthia); doting stepmom and friend to Huntly Gordon (Louise), Doug (Rhonda), James (Lorraine) and Diana; and caring nana to grandchildren, Emery, Emily, Hunter, Deveron, Reaves and Alexander. Predeceased by brother, David Woods; and parents, George and Bernice Woods. Born in Toronto on February 24, 1937, Nancy grew up in East York, attended the University of Toronto's Trinity College, graduating with a degree in languages. She developed a close group of friends, affectionately christened the 'Trinity Gang,' and stayed close with them to the end of her life. Fond of drama, Nancy acted in university productions alongside her Victoria College peer, Donald Sutherland. Nancy joined the RCAF officer training program while at university, qualifying as a radar operator and contributing her summers to the military's Cold War monitoring of North American airspace. She's credited with helping to save a Canadian Forces pilot one day when, remembering her training on hypoxia, she recognized in the sound of his voice and growing disorientation that there was a problem with the aircraft's oxygen system. She continued talking to him, repeating simple instructions over and over to help him guide the stricken aircraft down to a safe altitude and ultimately back to base. Arriving for her shift the next day, she was greeted at her console with a massive bouquet of flowers addressed to the calm, unknown voice behind the callsign, with gratitude for getting him home. Adventurous and independent, Nancy spent time travelling and teaching overseas as part of a graduate fellowship, making more lifelong friends along the way. Cultivating lasting, meaningful relationships would be a continuing hallmark of Nancy's life. Later, Nancy brought her love of language, Shakespeare, Dickens and storytelling to the classroom, where she taught high school English at Woburn Collegiate Institute in Scarborough, Ontario. She was also passionate about the library, and headed the learning program for gifted students while at Woburn. Enthusiastic throughout her life about performing arts, Nancy travelled to her beloved Stratford Festival every season since its early days. Nancy's parents introduced to her to a love of the pine, rock and water of the Muskoka Lakes, and she spent a lifetime canoeing and swimming there, and then later at Georgian Bay with Huntly, and finally at Lake Wahwashkesh, where she added kayaking to her repertoire of water skills. The love of the near north has been passed along now to the fourth generation of the family. After retiring from teaching in 1994, she and Huntly, along with their irrepressible Lakeland Terriers, first Cory and then Barney, lived in the Mulmur Hills north of Toronto. There, she enjoyed her gardens and made new and lasting friendships. She was a devoted community-builder, founding the Dufferin County Circle of Storytellers, a group that has been telling stories in schools, churches, libraries, seniors' homes, museums and the local pub since that time. Nancy and Huntly returned to Toronto in 2020, enjoying the city life once again in the active retirement community at Christie Gardens. She was especially passionate about the Indigenous studies programs she and her friends joined while living there. The memory of Nancy's humour, sparkling intelligence, love and friendship will be cherished by all those who knew her. In lieu of flowers, donations to Indspire – a national, indigenous-registered charity that invests in the education of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people – are appreciated. A celebration of life will be announced in the new year.