Nancy Jane (Finley) Evans

Nancy F. Evans, teacher and longtime resident of Worthington and Clintonville, died early Thursday morning, May 18, 2023. She was 96 years old.

Nancy was a bright, complex, strong-willed and kind person. She taught French in the Worthington schools for many years, and nurtured her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren with love, humor, and special trips to amazing places.

Born to Verner and Dorne Finley in 1927, Nancy was raised in Mt. Sterling, Ohio. She attended Miami University (of Ohio), which she loved, and graduate school in Madison, Wisconsin. During and after college, Nancy was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Mortarboard, due to her academic and service achievements.

Nancy taught for one year in Alliance, Ohio, and then, in 1950, married Bill Evans, Columbus-area artist. Nancy and Bill spent a year in Italy before moving briefly to Newcastle, Pennsylvania. Back in Columbus, Nancy taught at Columbus School for Girls before pausing her career to start a family.

During her years teaching in Worthington, Nancy frequently led student summer trips to France, herding groups of teenagers through foreign culture and language. She was nominated for Ohio Teacher of the Year.

Nancy pursued her interests in literature, poetry, history, art, gardening, and Reiki well into her retirement. She traveled widely. Nancy volunteered at Inniswood Metro Gardens in Westerville for several years, and was a docent at the Columbus Museum of Art, and at the Wexner Center.

She has been blessed with wonderful friends, many of whom were her teaching colleagues or college roommates. Nancy’s longest friendship, of over 70 years, has been with Marilyn LaBrec, with whom she attended graduate school.

Nancy is survived by son, Will Evans; daughter, Ellie White; granddaughters, Kate Shipman (husband Jay), and Emma Donovan (husband Damien); grandson, Will White (wife Kylie Bonham White); and great-grandchildren, Gracie and Lucas Young, Finley Donovan, and an as-yet-unborn great granddaughter!

Donations in Nancy’s honor can be made to Inniswood Garden Society, 940 Hempstead Rd., Westerville, Ohio 43081.  (Check or money order, please, as their website donation form is not currently working.) This would make Nancy happy, as she loved the place.

A memorial gathering will be planned at a later date.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Nancy Jane (Finley) Evans, please visit our floral store.