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ancy Kanchelian Speier
1915-2009
Nancy Kanchelian Speier, 93, died peacefully on Friday, February 27, in the loving company of her family.
Nancy was widely known as the adult education teacher who wouldn't quit. She taught upholstery in the San Mateo and South San Francisco Adult Schools for nearly 50 years, only retiring three months ago. Her thousands of devoted students received far more than lessons on recovering a chair or sofa. Nancy freely dispensed honest, hard-learned and no-nonsense advice on life, love and health for no extra charge.
Besides her noteworthy talents in the classroom, Nancy is remembered as a gardener extraordinaire who could bring wilted plants back to life and coax barren orchids to flower.
Nancy was passionate about her heritage and supporting the people of Armenia. Many of her family members were massacred in the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1920, and
Nancy honored their legacy by supporting orphan children in Armenia by giving them a chance to lift themselves out of poverty.
Recalling what it was like to stand in food lines during the Great Depression, Nancy vowed that she would never have to do that again, so never stopped working and instilled in her children and grandchildren the value of hard work.
Nancy Speier is survived by her loving husband Manfred (Fred), her cherished daughter, Congresswoman Jackie Speier, and son, Eric Speier of Elk Grove. She will be sorely missed by her grandchildren, Jackson and Stephanie Sierra of Hillsborough, Erica Swanson of Sacramento, and Katie Speier of Cameron Park and great granddaughter
Sarah Swanson of Sacramento.
http://www.tributes.com/obituary/show/Nancy-Kanchelian-Speier-85387310