Dear Friends of Nancy:
Nancy passed away around 4:00 am today. She picked a good time to die. Her beloved nephew, Jess, arrived early yesterday afternoon and spent the afternoon and evening with her. Jess read to Nancy for several hours and would occasionally check in with her to see what she wanted. Did she want him to continue reading to her? If so, please indicate with finger motion. Nancy indicated "yes" every time. Jess wanted to sit with her indefinitely, but he got very tired late into the night and stretched out on the sofa in Nancy's living room. Around 4:00 am, the nursing assistant on duty checked in on Nancy and discovered that she had passed away.
Please join me in mourning Nancy, who died way too young at the age of 70. Nancy was diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer 30 years ago, right when I joined her as a member of the Political Science faculty at the University of Washington. She defied all odds and continued in her passionate pursuit of feminist theory, social justice, horses, cats, French food, harpsichord, and more! Let's also celebrate her achievements and incredible resilience.
I am so grateful that Nancy had a good death, as she wished. She did not linger, and she had excellent nursing care. I would recommend Bright Star nursing services to anyone who is in need of such services. Every nurse who attended Nancy treated her with attentive, loving, and professional care.
We will be arranging a small, local memorial service for Nancy next week. If you live in the area and would like to participate, please let me know.
One final note of importance: When Nancy retired several years ago, we established, in her honor, an endowed fund for "The Nancy C.M. Hartsock Prize for Best Graduate Paper in Feminist Political Theory" at the University of Washington. If you would like to contribute to this fund, which has not yet reached full endowment status, please send a check made out to: "University of Washington Foundation", with a memo line indicating "Hartsock Paper Prize." Please mail checks to:
Christine Di Stefano
Department of Political Science
Box 353530
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195
In sympathy,
Christine
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Christine Di Stefano
Associate Professor of Political Science
Adjunct Associate Professor of Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies
University of Washington
Box 353530
Seattle, WA 98195-3530 USA
Phone: (206) 543-9254
FAX: (206) 685-2146
http://www.polisci.washington.edu