Nancy O. Novak

Nancy Lucile Orr Novak, age 83, of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, passed away peacefully on November 19, 2025 in hospice at Crosslands Community in Kennett Square, PA.

Nancy was born in Elyria, Ohio in 1942 to Stanley Orr and Dorothy Saunders Orr.  Nancy often talked about the baby racoon “Rascal” that her father bought home from a golf course and that she and her siblings made into a pet.  After Nancy graduated from Elyria High School, the family moved to Heidelberg, Germany.  She took classes at the University of Heidelberg, and she and her younger sister, Sally traveled widely in Europe.  Subsequently Nancy attended Oberlin College, the University of Rochester, and the University of Delaware, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

Nancy met her husband Ernie in high school chemistry class in 1957, and later joined him at Oberlin College.  They were married in 1962.  They lived in Oberlin Ohio, Rochester, New York, Wilmington, Delaware, Vienna, West Virginia, and since 2019 at Crosslands.

Her beloved children are Carol Novak and Janet Novak (Chris Sarnowski); grandchildren, Marshall and Stephanie Gordon.

Nancy believed in making the world a better place and was an avid volunteer.  She was most active with the League of Women Voters, serving two terms as President of the West Virginia League.  In the Unitarian Church, she directed the church choir and served as a board member.

Nancy always loved music, books, cats, travel, and gardens. In West Virginia, she had a large flower garden that was frequently on the local garden tours.  Daffodils were her favorite flower, and her garden had thousands of daffodil flowers each spring.  Her favorite recreation was downhill skiing in locations around the world; her favorite was Snowmass-Aspen.  She was also the organizer of two book groups.

Nancy was preceded in death by her brother, David (Susie), and survived by her husband, Ernie; her sister, Sally Sello (Thomas) and her brother, Jim Orr (Charlotte).

A service of Celebration of Life is scheduled for December 13, 2025 at 11:00AM in the William Penn Auditorium at Crosslands, 1660 Street Road, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.  The service will also be able to be viewed via Zoom.  If you would like to attend by Zoom, send a request to Nancy.Novak.celebration@gmail.com and a Zoom link will be emailed to you.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Heifer International.

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