Former Yorktown Supervisor Nancy Elliott Dies at 89
Nancy Louise Elliott, the first female supervisor in the Town of Yorktown, died peacefully July 11 in Hillsborough, NC. She was 89.
Elliott, who lived in Yorktown for 30 years, served on the Yorktown Town Board before being elected supervisor in 1980. She was reelected five times, leading the town for 12 years.
Yorktown Republican Chairman Christopher Arnold called Elliott, a former chairperson of the Yorktown Republican Committee, a “political legend.”
“She was our first female supervisor, and having been fortunate enough to grow up (to see) her, I witnessed her numerous achievements first-hand and her tremendous loss grieves us all,” Arnold said. “Amongst her many accomplishments, she brought the Jefferson Valley Mall to Yorktown. Our condolences go out to her family and friends.”
Former Yorktown Councilman Anthony Grasso, 91, served four years with Elliott and credited her administration with many accomplishments, including upgrading the town’s sewer and water plants, being the first municipality to implement an affordable housing policy and strengthening the Police Department.
“Nancy was always ready to get the job done. There was no fooling around,” Grasso said. “She wasn’t one who had an idea and took two years to do it. She did a lot of things. She knew what to do and she did it. I learned a lot about government at that time with her.”
Elliott was born October 8, 1929 in Toledo, OH to parents Bob and Betty Rettig. She graduated from DeVilbiss High school in 1947 and went on to graduate from Denison University in 1951. She was the President of her Tri Delta sorority.
In 1952, she married John S. Elliott of Coshocton, OH. After stops in Biloxi, MS, Columbus, OH and Seattle, WA, they settled in Yorktown. John and Nancy were married for 57 years.
Mrs. Elliott, a former teacher, was very involved in her community and was a strong advocate for women. She was president of her chapter of The League of Women Voters. She was also an active member of the Methodist church wherever she lived, volunteering and attending her Bible study group. After retiring, John and Nancy moved to Evergreen, CO. Mrs. Elliott moved to Hillsborough, NC after John’s death.
Mrs. Elliott was a huge sports fan usually reading the sports section of the newspaper first. The Colorado Rockies and Denver Broncos were favorites, but she could watch any sport. Her love for sports came from her father who in 1994 was elected to the Toledo Sports Hall of Fame.
She cherished time at the beach in Cape Hatteras NC, sunshine in the Rockies, vibrant colors, flowers and her beloved Bridge Club friends. She also liked to paint and was an avid reader. She will always be remembered for her bright smile that would light up the room. She will be greatly missed by her family and all who knew her.
She is survived by her three children, John (Kim) Elliott of Evergreen, CO, Lynn (Greg) Carswell of Hillsborough, NC and Bruce (Carol) Elliott of Richmond, VA, along with five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
A celebration of life service will be held at the University United Methodist Church in Chapel Hill, NC on Friday August 16. In Lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to University United Methodist Church, Worship Fund ( https://universityumc.church/) or UNC Hospice (Memorial gifts can be made online at go.unc.edu/unchospice, or checks made payable to the Medical Foundation of NC and mailed to 123 West Franklin Street, Suite 510, Chapel Hill NC 27516).
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/