Nancy A. Sargent, 84, of Acton, passed away after a courageous two-year battle with lung cancer. She was a talented artist who successfully ran her own art galleries over the years in Winthrop, Newcastle, and Acton. Her artwork, mostly oil and watercolor landscapes and seascapes, won numerous prizes and awards in art shows all over New England.
Nancy was admired by all who knew her for her fierce independence, her strong-willed personality, and her can-do attitude. She was determined to do anything she put her mind to, and she did.
Nancy raised her five children while earning a living as an artist, a bartender, owner of a bait shop and doing alterations and retouching negatives for a local photographer. Her lifelong passions were gardening, sewing, and enjoying the seashore. She loved a good joke, had the gift of gab, and was a merciless opponent of anyone willing to play her in Chinese Checkers.
Nancy was an avid dog lover and always owned at least one. She raised Beagles and Pekingese over the years, but there were two steadfast and crazy Yorkshire Terriers who she adored. Sparkie and Sadie were wonderful companions and a great comfort to her. Nancy’s nightly Facebook posts about her day usually included a story about her pups, and she always signed off, “love Sparkie and Sadie’s mom.”
She was predeceased by her son, Clyde H. Beaton III; her daughter, Lorna E. Sirois; and her husbands, Robert W. Houseworth and William Sargent.
Nancy is survived by her daughters, Lisa Shea Barrows and her husband Victor Barrows of Plymouth, Mass., Lesli Bautz of Nyon, Switzerland, and Brenda Padgett and her husband Thomas Padgett of Spring, Tx.; as well as 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Nancy will be laid to rest alongside the love of her life, Robert W. Houseworth, at the Pine Knoll Cemetery in Newcastle, with a graveside service on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022 at 1 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to Tunnel to Towers to support our nation’s heroes. https://t2t.org/
Arrangements are under the direction and care of the Strong-Hancock Funeral Home, 612 Main St., Damariscotta. Condolences, and messages for her family, may be expressed by visiting stronghancock.com.
