Nancy Ann Burston, 72, of Trumansburg, New York, passed away peacefully on September 15, 2021 surrounded by her immediate family. Originally from Richville, a small town in northern upstate New York, Nancy and her husband lived outside of Trumansburg for 45 years. She loved her life in Trumansburg, Ithaca and the surrounding area. She marveled at the beauty of the lakes, the solitude of the surrounding hills where she made her home and the abundance of birds that frequented her birdfeeders.
Nancy was born in Gouverneur, New York on April 20, 1949, the daughter of Kenneth Driver and Norah P. Burston. Nancy’s early core interests in travel, music and animal rescue grew over seven decades. The family’s 50’s road trips throughout New England and Eastern Canada seeded a lifelong passion for travel eventually taking her cross country, to the Southern Hemisphere, Europe and Southeast Asia.
While growing up in Richville and attending Gouverneur High, she nurtured her love of music through instrumental, choral and dance venues. When the family moved to Watertown, New York in her junior year, she became an exchange student and lived in Peru. Known for her kindness, Nancy and her husband opened their home to international students and other youth and when their daughter, Marissa, became an exchange student in Thailand, they thoroughly enjoyed spending time in that beautiful country.
Nancy attended Albany State University where she met many of her lifelong friends. She earned her undergraduate degree there in 1971. She continued her education through graduate studies at both Syracuse University and Cornell University where she earned her Ph. D. After graduation, Nancy worked at Green Thumb in Cortland. Later, she became Associate Director of the Human Services Coalition of Tompkins County where she worked for many years. She made many friends through her job at HSC and enjoyed working in downtown Ithaca where she could enjoy the commons. She loved working with Cornell student interns at HSC and received an employer recognition award for her work as a mentor.
Friends of Nancy knew her as someone who was always up for an adventure. Whether it was going to New York City for a Broadway show, clamming in the chilly waters of Eastern Long Island or traveling, she loved getting out and doing things with her friends and family.
Nancy is survived by her husband, Terry Clingen, their daughter, Marissa Burston Clingen, and son-in-law, Alex Goddard of Maryland; her sister, Diane Sherwood, and husband, Roger, of New York City, and their son, Bradley, and his wife, Helen, of Connecticut; Nancy’s brother-in-law, Tim Clingen of California, and many cousins and close friends spread throughout the country.
Anyone who knew Nancy also knows how much she loved her pets, especially her cats, and how much they loved her back. Over the years she took in and cared for countless homeless pets and donated to many rescue organizations. In lieu of flowers, you can continue her efforts by making a donation in her name to the SPCA of Tompkins County.
A Celebration of Life will take place in the Ithaca area in the Spring of 2022 and later in Orient Point where her ashes will be interred.