Nancy Ann (Adams) Morrill Obituary (1933 - 2021)

Nancy Ann (Adams) Morrill, 87, was born February 21, 1933 in Salem, Oregon, smack dab between the Great Depression and World War II, to Orville Daniel Adams and Alice Jane (Dunlop) Adams. The youngest sister of Mary Jane, Robert, and Roger. Her family was a close knit one. Educators, entrepreneurial, musical, outgoing, civic minded people. Proud of their heritage (related to John Quincy Adams) and of being USA citizens. This love of family, country and of service, was a driving force in Nancy's family and in her life. Nancy's father was called back to service in WWII. Stationed at Bremerton, Nancy became fond of the "soft gray" of Washington. In her teen years, they relocated to San Francisco where Nancy met her future husband Ralph Alfred Morrill in a church choir. Nancy went on to Willamette University. When Ralph got drafted to the Korean War and her mom got terminal cancer, she came back home, married Ralph, and cared for her mother. Ralph returned home to attend San Jose State on the GI Bill and Nancy worked in the college Administration Department. The couple was told they could never have children and were delighted when they had Deanne, Ralph, and Alice - all three years and three months apart. Ralph and Nancy moved where the work was: Tustin, CA, Golden, CO, Corvallis, OR, Naperville, IL, Mercer Island, WA, Bellevue, WA, and Enumclaw, WA to be with family in their later years. Nancy loved family gatherings, dressing up for parties, and being a homemaker. Her creativity turned to painting, sewing, quilting, and knitting. Ralph said, " I will make the living if you will make the living worthwhile", but there came a day when Nancy had to go back to work. At age 52 she ventured back out into the working world (which terrified her) - she eventually found herself working at a charming Knit Shop in Pioneer Square in Seattle. She discovered she had a knack for teaching and designing. Nancy saw a demand for needlepoint designs and soon started her own design company, NM Arts. Eventually her work sold all over the world, was featured in needlepoint publications and one of her needlepoint ornaments was featured on the main Whitehouse Christmas tree in 1994. Nancy adored her nieces, nephews, and brothers and sisters-in-law. She took great care in raising her children and dearly loved her grandchildren: Anthony Morrill, Benjamin Portis, Philip Lampkin, Michael Lampkin, John Patrick (Jack) Lampkin, and Grace Lampkin. Often described as "the nicest person I have ever met", Nancy now joins her beloved parents, siblings, and husband in Heaven. She found great joy in the sisterhood of the Enumclaw, WA PEO group. The family thanks the PEO sisters for their kindness and care and are grateful to the amazing staff at Cascade Caregivers, where Nancy passed away on January 5, 2021. Please share a memory with Nancy's family on the tribute wall.