Nancy Taylor Ganyard, 97, of Boca Raton, FL passed away peacefully on June 8, 2024. She was born of old New England stock on January 31, 1927 in Worcester, MA to Herbert Foster Taylor and Ruth Wilson Taylor. She had two older sisters: Jayne (MacLean) and Barbara (Crawford).
As an indomitable trio, "The Taylor Girls" adored each other and remained incredibly close throughout their entire lives.

Nan attended North High School in Worcester. She graduated from Drury College in 1949, Magna Cum Laude, with a BA in History and English. On scholarship to Clark University, she received an MA in International Relations. Nan did further graduate work through Johns Hopkins SAIS at the Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, Netherlands, with summer programs at Oxford, Cambridge, and Paris.

Nan was employed for several years by the Central Intelligence Agency, where she met her future husband, Peter Wilde Ganyard, 1st Lt, US Army. Shortly after meeting, their work took them both overseas, during which they corresponded through letters. When they returned, they became engaged and eventually wed on October 25, 1953, in Nan's hometown of Worcester. Nan and Peter were very proud of their three children: Stephen Taylor, Leslie Carol, and Jeffrey Peter. The family lived in San Francisco, CA; Albuquerque, NM; Mountain Lakes, NJ; Winnipeg, MB, Canada; and finally settled in Boca Raton, FL.

Nan taught English in a variety of locations, but her true calling was found during her 27 years at Saint Andrew's School in Boca Raton. In addition, she tutored students with learning differences, which she found very rewarding. Over the years, many of her former students visited or wrote to her to thank her for the positive impact she'd had on their lives. In their later years, Nan and Peter enjoyed summer travel to France, England, Scotland (her roots), Greece, Turkey, Italy, and the Holy Land. The couple celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary in 2020.

A lover of reading and historical research, Nan had a keen intellectual curiosity and a wonderful sense of humor. She was highly knowledgeable about classical music and was an opera fanatic, as well as an accomplished pianist. She was also an active member of the League of Women Voters for many years. In retirement, she enjoyed teaching poetry for the ILIR in Boca Raton. Nan was always active and competitive, and even in her later years, she could be found challenging her grandchildren to an intense game of ping pong or Scrabble. She often enjoyed long walks to observe the beauty of nature, especially birds, stars, and plants. After joining the Episcopal Church, she served on the vestry at St. Paul's Church in Delray Beach. Her strong faith was a foundation for her beliefs and her way of life.

Nan was preceded in death by her husband, Peter, and her sister, Barbara Taylor Crawford. Nan is survived by her sister, Jayne Taylor MacLean, and Nan and Peter's three children, Stephen Taylor Ganyard (Chris Hoover), Leslie Ganyard Nutting (Robert), and Jeffrey Peter Ganyard. Grandchildren: Peter James Ganyard (Sara Gadoci), Matthew Taylor Ganyard (Marie Zurlo), Caroline Ganyard Sanders (Steven), Cameron Nutting Williams (Christophe), Taylor Wilde Nutting Gurbács (Gábor), Lachlan Ogden Nutting, Nina Pauloma Ganyard, and Simone Petre Ganyard. Great Grandchildren: Nolan McLain Williams, Savannah Taylor Ganyard, Eliza Wilde Ganyard, Beckett Majure Sanders, Olivia Sage Williams, Henry Paul Ganyard, Noah Jay Ganyard, George Ishtván Gurbács, and Smith Howell Sanders. In addition to her loving family, Nan was blessed with many dear friends, with whom she remained close throughout her life.

A Memorial Service for both Nan and Peter will be held on November 9, 2024, 11:00 AM at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 188 S Swinton Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33444.