Nancy Louise (Padgett) Luckfield, age 83, passed away Friday, February 5, 2021, in Springfield Missouri, where she resided with her loving husband, William Richard Luckfield III (Bill), for 44 years. She and Bill are longtime members of Christ Episcopal Church in Springfield.
A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Nancy was born on December 14, 1937, to Elwood Pilsbury and Catherine (Hall) Padgett, Sr. She graduated from Robert E. Lee Senior High School in 1955 and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Library Science in 1959 from the University of Florida, where she was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority.
Nancy was a devoted mother to William H. Maddox III (Treigh) and Elizabeth Maddox (Michael) Harrington and was beloved as bonus mother "Nancy" to Lynn Luckfield (Larry) Burk, William R. Luckfield IV (Rick), and Sara Luckfield (Sam) Castorani.
Nancy was an avid reader and watercolorist, having always had a love for books and a talent for many art forms. She was a brilliant intellectual who devoured libraries and consumed difficult tomes with ease. Her gallery of paintings of picturesque scenes from her travels and natural Florida landscapes graced the walls of her residences and gained her recognition in a juried art show. However, her art was deeply personal to her, and she chose to share it primarily with her closest friends and family.
Nancy and Bill had a great appreciation for classical music and were significant supporters of symphony orchestras in Springfield and Florida. Nancy wholeheartedly embraced midwestern living and the welcoming family of the love of her life, but she continued to hold Florida near to her heart. She and Bill spent many happy winters and springs in southwest Florida where they consecutively owned homes in Placida, Osprey, and Venice. Nancy and Bill enjoyed a seasonal seaside lifestyle and boating in Florida and the Caribbean with their friends who visited from Springfield.
Nancy was passionate about travel and had a particular fascination with indigenous and ancient cultures. Together, she and Bill explored places like Papua New Guinea, remote regions of Australia, and the Amazon River, to name just a few on their lengthy list of destinations. She collected ceremonial masks, art, and artifacts from around the world.
Nancy came from humble beginnings, grew up during the Great Depression, and lacked air conditioning in Florida as a child. She was practical and logical to a fault and was never averse to hard work or prone to hire help for a task she could do herself. As a young mother, she worked as a substitute schoolteacher and librarian, and she volunteered for most of her life for organizations like the Jacksonville Children's Museum, the Next to New thrift shop and Habitat for Humanity of Springfield. With a dignified stoicism, she was the epitome of discretion and set an impeccable example with her strength of character and courage, even when suffering debilitating physical conditions later in life. Nancy was adored by everyone who knew her, but especially by her many children and grandchildren to whom she generously bestowed her attention and resources, making each one feel equally valued in her life. She was the trusted aunt in whom her nieces confided and found solace in difficult times. Nancy's gifts for extraordinary living and making any occasion special with thoughtful and clever details enhanced and uplifted the lives of everyone around her in a manner that cannot be duplicated. Her sudden passing is an unimaginable loss.
In addition to her husband and children named above, Nancy is survived by her grandchildren William Harrington, Laura Harrington, Brent Burk, Sean Burk, Nicholas (Katie) Luckfield, Brandi (Jonathon) Williams, Rylea Luckfield, Kristine Kershaw, Kurt Kershaw, and great-grandchild, Marcie Luckfield, as well as her brother, Elwood P. Padgett, Jr., nieces Susan Johnson, Deana (Russ) Mann, Sharon Padgett, and nephew Jon Padgett. She was preceded in death by her parents, Elwood Pilsbury and Catherine (Hall) Padgett, Sr., and her brother, Richard Padgett.
A private family service will be held Wednesday, February 10, at Christ Episcopal Church with the Reverend Mark Ohlemeier officiating. A graveside burial will follow at Hazelwood Cemetery.
If desired, friends may make memorial contributions to The Gathering Tree/Eden Village, P.O. Box 2364 Springfield MO. 65801 to help fund a home for a homeless individual (https://edenvillageusa.org/springfield-mo/).