September 27, 1915 - May 6, 2021
Nancy passed away peacefully at age 105 in Salmon Arm. She grew up in Vancouver and graduated from the Vancouver General Hospital School of Nursing in 1938. She told many stories of her work as a young nurse in the small hospital at Alert Bay on the coast of B.C.
In 1939 she married Ken Leatherdale and together they raised a family of 4 children in West Point Grey. Nancy was a resourceful homemaker, cultivating a vegetable garden, baking bread, sewing, and managing a bustling household of children and pets.
Nancy began lessons in piano and singing early in life. As her family grew up, she continued her studies and in 1964 became an Associate of the Trinity College of Music London and President of the Vancouver Women's Musical Society.
When she and Ken moved to Salmon Arm in 1971 to begin the retirement chapter of their lives, she began a 35-year career teaching piano and singing. She helped in establishing the Shuswap Chapter of the B.C. Registered Music Teachers Association and joined forces with the Salmon Arm Arts Council to raise funds for the purchase of a grand piano for community events.
She was a strong supporter of the Shuswap Music Festival as well as the Shuswap Men's Chorus, never missing a concert. She was mentoring students well into her nineties. During retirement, Nancy and Ken made many trips to Europe and Hawaii, camped in British Columbia, and spent time with their family.
Nancy is lovingly remembered by her sons Rob (Judy) of Okotoks Alberta, and Doug (Joanne) of Salmon Arm, her daughter Kenna Botterell of Ladysmith, and son-in-law Robert Roper of Sidney.
She was predeceased by her daughter Janice Roper and her son-in-law Brian Botterell.
She was a loving grandmother to 10 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren, taking an avid interest in and great pride in their accomplishments.
A Nancy Leatherdale Music Scholarship has been established with the Shuswap Community Foundation. Gifts in her memory can be directed to the Foundation. The family acknowledge with gratitude the loving care Nancy received at Mount Ida Mews in the last two years of her life.
Online condolences may be sent to Nancy's family through her obituary at www.bowersfuneralservice.com
Bowers Funeral Home and Crematorium