Nancy Carolyn Blakely Boatwright

On August 28, 2019, Nancy Carolyn Blakely Boatwright, loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and sister passed away at age 89.

Nancy was born in Spartanburg, S.C., where she graduated from Spartanburg High School and Converse College.

She had a contagious joy for living, a quick, dry wit that kept going until the end and an occasional (daily?) disregard for rules that defined her personality and made her friends wherever she went. Some of Nancy's common replies included, "Sure!," "Why Not?," and "Woo Hoo!"

Often compared to June Allyson with a bit of Grace Kelly, Nancy had old-school movie star looks, flair and diction (from diction lessons as a child), and she never went out without a fresh coat of deep red lipstick and big sunglasses, which she wore even inside.

In 1951, Nancy married P.J. Boatright Jr. Mr. Boatwright's work at the United States Golf Association (U.S.G.A.) took the family from Pinehurst, N.C. to Westport, Conn. in 1959 and Gladstone, N.J. in 1972.

During the later years of their 39 year marriage, Nancy accompanied P.J. on his travels for work and was able to visit nearly every country in the world that has a golf course ­- from several of the Pacific and Caribbean islands to Argentina, Scotland, Hong Kong and Spain, where she charmed King Juan Carlos to the point that he insisted on giving her a leather footstool she had admired in his palace.

Nancy loved the beach. In Westport Conn., she would pile the children into P.J.'s convertible Triumph "commuter car" (because it's much more fun to ride to the beach in a convertible) and head to Compo Beach on Long Island Sound, where she kept one eye on the kids and one on the competitive Scrabble game she was playing with a friend. After P.J.'s death in 1991, she began dividing her time between Gladstone N.J. and Isle of Palms, S.C.

"See if there's a movie on!" was often the precursor to a casual meal or the start of a rainy day with Nancy. She loved movies and would never say no to a movie invitation. At home, she often timed her dinner to coincide with a movie she wanted to watch on television. Her enthusiasm passed on to her children and grandchildren, who are all able to easily identify every movie star from 1930-1960.

Nancy always had a book by her bed. She frequented the library, bookshops and, best of all, the 99 cent used book sales that popped up in vacant stores ­- goodness help the person she was with when she spotted one of those. The Charleston Friends of the Library used book sale was a much anticipated event that she liked to get to early in the hopes of snagging a first edition, which I don't think she ever did. Her collection of gifts for children and grandchildren every Christmas was never complete until it included at least one book for everyone.

She had a deep love for all animals, from the five golden retrievers she owned over the years (especially sweet Moses, who loved everybody but still wouldn't take a walk without Nancy) to the garter snakes that sunned in her front shrubs and the toad that lived outside her garage and allowed her to pet him. In N.J., once the deer became so abundant that she couldn't keep a vegetable garden anymore, she stopped gardening, bought corn and fed the deer.

The family would like to extend endless gratitude and thanks to Helen Elangwe, who was Nancy's constant companion and caregiver since a bad fall in 2010. Helen was undoubtedly a gift from God. Her loving care for Nancy, which was always extraordinary and beyond all expectations, along with a fantastic sense of humor, quickly made her a member of the family and Nancy's best friend. She always said she would be with "Mom" until the end, and nine years later, that is exactly what she has done.

Nancy was a long-time member of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Gladstone N.J. and regularly attended The Church of the Holy Cross when she was on Isle of Palms.

Nancy is predeceased by her husband P.J., her sister, Rosemary Allen, and a nephew, Blakely Allen. She is survived by her brother, Robert Franklin Blakely and his wife Judy, her three children, Cynthia Blakely Boatwright (Michael Gibbons), P.J. Boatwright III (Cathy) and Nancy Carolyn Boatwright Haar. Her grandchildren were a constant source of joy: Allison Grey Haar Evermann (Gunnar), Catherine Pierce Haar Watson (Tyler), Thomas Boatwright Mulder, Blakely Elizabeth Mulder (Michael Gropper), Graham James Boatwright, Casey Elizabeth Boatwright and John Robert Boatwright. She lived to enjoy and love two great-grandchildren, Mark Evermann and George Evermann.

A memorial service for Nancy will take place on September 28 at Grace Church Cathedral, 98 Wentworth Street, Charleston, 29401 at 2:00, with a reception to follow in the church hall. Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc. Mount Pleasant Chapel. A memorial message may be sent to the family by visiting our website at www.jhenrystuhr.com.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Grateful Golden Retriever Rescue of the Lowcountry or the P.J. Boatwright Internship Program that the U.S.G.A began in P.J.s honor after his death. The internship helps direct and support young people interested in pursuing a career in golf administration.