Nancy Jean Meacham, 66, of Arnold, MD passed away peacefully in the Mandrin Hospice House on December 26, 2017.  Family and friends were constant companions during her short stay and the atmosphere and kind staff at Mandrin provided a tranquil setting for her departure.

Daughter of Thomas Frederick and Ida Mae Coates and born March 16, 1951, Nancy grew up in Halethorpe and is a 1969 graduate from Lansdowne Senior High School.   Nancy is survived by her father who resides at Charlestown in Catonsville, husband Jim Meacham of Arnold, sister Dale Smith and her husband, Ron, of Pasadena, brother Fred Coates and wife Janice of Lumberton, NC, and son David V. Fegley and his wife Mauria of Pasadena.  Nancy was predeceased by her sister, Darlene Engleman.     Nancy is further survived by her step daughter, Liane C. Meacham, of Annapolis, and stepson, David L. Meacham of Burien, WA.

During and following high school, Nancy worked for Koppers Company in Baltimore City, before joining Westinghouse Defense in 1970.   Exhibiting exceptional shorthand skills, she quickly settled in as a secretary in the Advanced Technology Laboratory.  She soon found herself in the Central Building's sector management corridors as a very capable administrative assistant.  With Northrop Grumman Corp acquisition of Westinghouse Defense in 2004, Nancy started to transition to large contract efforts.  Many times Nancy found herself the only admin on highly classified programs and working in a vault handling the security and travel for its 200 engineers as well as orchestrating meetings in and out of the plant with program visitors that included very senior level government, DoD, and industry executives.

Nancy was an avid genealogist, taking numerous courses to hone her skills, including several at the Mormon Ancestry facility in Salt Lake City.   She became quite skilled doing investigative work regarding her history as well as that of other family members.  She was quite adept at finding and interpreting old German records, as well as obscure legal and  business documentation.

Nancy's other passions included her amazing Caladium gardens that always elicited complements from neighbors at her residences in Arnold and in Lady Lake, Florida.  She also enjoyed knitting; a difficult self taught skill.   Her knitted bonnets and receiving blankets for newborns were donated to local charities.   Nancy was a great doggy grandma to David and Mauria's three dogs.

When not watching the Orioles or Raven games, Nancy was immersed every night in the political shows that were on 7-11pm, shouting at the night's villains.   While totally apolitical while working in a DoD/Agency environment, she worked overtime to compensate once in retirement.

Family and friends may visit on Tuesday, Jan 2, 2018 from 10am to 12pm at the Barranco & Sons, P.A. Severna Park Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Hwy, Severna Park, MD 21146.   The viewing period will be followed by a noon Celebration of Life ceremony in the funeral home chapel. Interment will be in Glen Haven Memorial Park, 7215 Ritchie Hwy, Glen Burnie, MD 21061  (CROSS Lot 15; go down left hand outer road about halfway, lot is on the right ~ 100ft.)

In lieu of flowers, monetary donations may be made in her name to BARCS-Baltimore Animal Rescue & Care Center, 301 Stockholm St., Baltimore, MD 21230.

Online condolences may be made at www.barrancofuneralhome.com