Nancy Bryson Schwartz

Nancy Bryson Schwartz, 70, of Charleston, South Carolina, wife of Paul D. Schwartz, entered into eternal rest on Sunday, June 28, 2026. A visitation will take place Sunday, July 5, 2026 in the J. Henry Stuhr, Inc. Mount Pleasant Chapel from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm. Her funeral service will be held Monday, July 6, 2026 in the Mount Pleasant Chapel at 11:00 am, interment will follow in Mount Pleasant Memorial Gardens, and the family will receive friends at the James Island Yacht Club from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m the same day.

Nancy was born on April 24, 1956 in Charleston, daughter of the late Robert Otis Bryson, Jr. and Jean Marie Essick Bryson. She was a graduate of James Island High School, the “Rams”, where she was crowned Miss James Island in 1974. After high school, she attended Baptist College. Nancy initially worked as an emergency room nurse when she resided in Sumter, South Carolina. When she moved back to her beloved Charleston, South Carolina, she worked and excelled in many different professions, ranging from bartender to the Club Manager at Seabrook Island Resort. Nancy then went into sales as the Regional Marketing Manager for one of the first MRI facilities in South Carolina. When presented with relocating from Charleston to Atlanta, Nancy shifted gears, attended paralegal school, and went to work as a paralegal, initially for the Law Office of Mark C. Tanenbaum, P.A. and later with her husband, where they worked side by side until her passing.

Nancy is survived by her loyal and loving husband of 29 years, Paul D. Schwartz; her treasured sons: James H. Smoak, III (Ashley) and Jason R. Smoak (Kayce); four cherished grandchildren: James Bryson Smoak, Molly Harper Smoak, Jackson Riley Smoak, and Kinsley Grace “Kiki” Smoak; two sisters: Debra B. Johnson (Kenny) and Dell Marie Bryson; her brother: Robert O. Bryson, III (Sandra); her beloved nieces and nephews, and many more extended family members and friends, who she considered family. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Charles M. Bryson.

Nancy was actively involved in the James Island High School community while her sons attended school there. She was the President of the James Island Booster Club during their enrollment and remained involved long after they graduated. She worked alongside her husband, Paul, Rusty Thomas, and many other devoted booster club members. Nancy and her husband worked tirelessly to help James Island High School become a charter school. Following the successful vote, Nancy became the familiar face and voice of the effort, appearing on the evening news to celebrate this milestone for the community. Her dedication to James Island Charter High School never wavered. Until her passing, she could be found on the sidelines, enthusiastically cheering on her grandchildren and their teammates louder than anyone else. Her spirited cry of “Rally on Two!” will forever echo in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.

Affectionately known as “Yaya,” she captured the hearts of everyone she met and was deeply loved by so many. She will be dearly missed and forever cherished by all whose lives she touched. To her family, she was-and always will be-the very best Mom and Yaya. To her community, she was forever “Miss James Island.”

A very special “thank you” to Sandra “Fiddie” Wade, Morgan G. Bryson, and the countless other visitors and healthcare workers who offered love and support in her final days.

Memorial donations can be made in Nancy's memory to Islands Against Cancer at https://islandsagainstcancer.com

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