Nancy E Washburn

Nancy E. Washburn of Madison, WI, passed away peacefully on April 11, 2023. Nancy was born in Madison on June 5, 1947, the daughter of Dr. Walter (Ben) Washburn and Sarah (Sally) Tillotson Washburn. Nancy was raised alongside her two younger sisters, Barbara and Mary.  

Nancy graduated from West High School in 1966 and briefly attended Beloit College before leaving to pursue community work. She helped establish a Head Start daycare center on the southside of Chicago in Woodlawn and worked to set up voter registration centers in Mississippi. In 1970 she started a daycare center at UW-Milwaukee while studying for a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education. She subsequently chose to continue her education with a nursing degree from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee School of Nursing in 1978. She then began her career at the Cardiology Department at the Mount Sinai Hospital in Milwaukee.

Nancy Washburn and Mark Spring met in Milwaukee in 1976 and married in Madison in 1982. Nancy began working as a registered nurse in the Cardiology Department at UW Hospital where she served as a mentor and care team leader. She was admired by her colleagues as a strong advocate for her patients through 31 years of dedicated service, until her retirement in 2013. 

Nancy and Mark raised two children, Sara and Alex. Nancy was an incredibly loving and devoted mother. She ensured that her children’s lives were enriched with language schools, music, athletics, and travel. Nancy was a voracious reader, and encouraged a love of reading in both her children. Nancy was proud and supportive of her children and their endeavors, encouraging them to pursue their passions. She was an environmentalist, avid birder, and a prairie enthusiast, helping restore prairies for the Madison Audubon Society. She was a champion of progressive causes, volunteered for numerous political candidates, attended protests, and had a strong sense of social justice. 

Nancy was inherently curious about the world and a passionate traveler. She traveled extensively in the 1970’s with her parents and sisters to Africa and Europe. She, Mark, Sara and Alex also traveled to South America, Alaska, Hawaii, Tahiti, Christmas Islands, and the southwest USA.  Nancy’s adventurous spirit never ceased to create new opportunities. She was the catalyst for the family to all become licensed scuba divers, which led to amazing underwater explorations in Bonaire, Belize, the Cayman Islands and Galapagos Islands. After retirement, Nancy and Mark traveled to England, Scotland, Ireland, and New Zealand.

She will be dearly missed by her husband, Mark, sisters Barb and Mary, daughter Sara (Marcus), son Alex (Jennifer), grandchildren Evelyn, Bennett and Leo, and many family, friends and colleagues.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, memorial donations can be made to the Madison Audubon Society. A celebration of life is planned for August 26 for family and friends. Per Nancy’s wishes, her ashes will be spread at the Faville Grove Sanctuary in Lake Mills, WI.

Cress Funeral Service

3610 Speedway Rd.

Madison, WI 53705

608-238-3434