Nancy Tripp Rose

Died at home on Friday, May 30, 2008. There will be no calling hours. A memorial service will be held on her 90th birthday, Friday, July 11, 2008 at the Park Church. Nancy was born on July 11, 1918, the second daughter and last child of Frank E. Tripp and Fanny B. Miller. She is also predeceased by Bob (Stephen Roberts), her husband of 63 years, and her sister Mary (Mary Tripp Marks). Mother of four, she is survived by Stephen (BarbaraZaring) of Taos, NM; Frank "Turk" (Beth Cain) of Elmira; Harriet (Stephen Keller) of Eldorado Hills, CA; and Mary (Joseph Chilbert) of Riverton, NJ. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews including Howard Kimball, Polly Marks Smith, and Ted Marks. Nancy had nine grandchildren and six great grandchildren.A life-long resident of Elmira, Nancy's life was full of the things that made her happy. In 1936, she graduated from Dana Hall School in Wellesley, MA where, she was quick to remind you, with a twinkle in her eye and a ho-hum expression on her face, she danced with JFK. Her attendance at Elmira College, where she studied photo-journalism, was diverted by her marriage to Bob in 1938. Her first job, as a reporter for her father's newspaper, was compensated with a check for $1.00, a sum her father thoughtfar too great.Nancy's list of loves included music, art, gardening, cards, parties, travel, home, riding on her father's boat, and much, much more. She had a keen eye for beauty, and her homes and those of her children benefited greatly as a result. Her mid-life was filled with time spent with family and a group of life-long friends. Later in life, Saturday afternoons were spent listening to the opera, and although macular degeneration robbed her of much of her eyesight, she was a voracious reader to the date of her death. Few things gave Nancy more enjoyment than winning twenty-five cents at the card table. Whether it was bridge with her close group of friends or a game of crazy eights or backgammon with one of her children or grandchildren, a win brought a smile to her face and a light to her eye. One of her favorite gestures at the table was to rub her thumb and index fingers together as if rubbing a dollar bill between them. She was so fond of playing games with her children that she kept a clear plastic bag filled with the money she had won from them.But as fond as she was of fun and games, and as priviledged as she was in her upbringing and good health, Nancy never forgot just how important Elmira was to her and her family. Never wishing to be in the spotlight, she gave generously and quietly to a number community enterprises, chief among which was the Clemens Center. Her love of the Center and her commitment to its success is legendary, and if there are those out there who feel they would like to send flowers or make a donation of some kind in her memory, please do so to the Clemens Center.Tough, fun, stoic, generous, loving, controlling, honest, practical. These are all words that fit Nancy to a T. And if there was one characteristic which stands out among them all, it was her honesty. You always knew where she stood. Whether it was how she felt about you, as a person, or what she thought of an idea, there was never any question about her take on things.Nancy's family would like to thank Southern Tier Hospice for the guidance and support they provided during the last days of her life. And we are especially grateful to the women who provided round the clock care for her over the past eight months. To Peg, Madeline, Sharon, Anna May, Mesina, Belva, Renie, Rosa, and Tina, Nancy's family would like to say that we are so grateful for your kind and skillful care. It made all the difference in the world to Mom and to us.