Nancy Johnston Mulford of Skillman dies at 85

Nancy Johnston Mulford of Skillman died Jan. 12, at Stonebridge at Montgomery after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was 85.

Born Oct. 28, 1937, in Oak Park, Illinois, the daughter of Herbert J. and Gladys Semple Johnston, she graduated from Amundson High School in Chicago and Park College (now Park University) in Parkville, Missouri. She spent her junior year of college at International Christian University in Mitaka, Japan. She later attended McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago.

In 1961, she married The Rev. David E. Mulford. They lived in Albany, New York, Chatham Township, and Vero Beach, Florida, while her husband, a Presbyterian minister, served as the pastor of churches in those communities. In 1994, upon her husband’s retirement, they moved to Black Mountain, North Carolina, where they lived for 12 years. In 2006, they moved to Stonebridge at Montgomery in Skillman.

Nancy was an active volunteer in every community in which she lived. While living in Chatham Township, she was active in American Field Service (a student exchange program) and served as an area representative. She served on parent-teacher association boards and was chair of the Friends of the Library of the Chathams. She was named an Outstanding Volunteer of Morris County in 1983.

As a member of a Presbyterian church wherever she lived, she served churches as both a deacon and an elder. She was also a member and officer of P.E.O., a women’s organization dedicated to providing educational opportunities for women and belonged to chapters in New Jersey, Florida and North Carolina. In Princeton, she was a member of Nassau Presbyterian Church and the Princeton Women’s College Club.

Nancy and her husband enjoyed leading pre-retirement seminars for the Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church USA. She managed the Country Store at Stonebridge for many years, providing a resource for those unable to shop independently. Nancy shared her artistic and teaching gifts with many generations of children and adults, and was especially well known for her wonderful classes in creating Pysanky Ukrainian eggs. Her creative talents were endless and live on in those with whom she shared her creations and her talents.

Nancy is survived by her husband, David, of Skillman, son Stephen Mulford of Baltimore, MD, daughter and son-in-law, Ann and Dr. David Youmans of Princeton, NJ, grandchildren Carey and husband Ammar Shallal of Princeton, NJ, Avery and husband Andrew Sellers of Lusaka, Zambia, and Nicholas Youmans and partner Michael Collins of Brooklyn, NY. She is also survived by great-grandchildren Zayn and Remy Shallal and Owen Sellers. Her sister, Bonnie Jacobi of Fairview, NC also survives. In addition, she will be missed by a number of foreign students who have lived with the Mulfords and became very much a part of their family: from Sri Lanka, Samatha James, Niloo James Hennings, and June James Bechler and their families: Bambang Gunawan of Indonesia, and Erika Schoonhover-Lovera of the Netherlands.

A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 24 at Nassau Presbyterian Church 61 Nassau Street, Princeton.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Nancy Mulford should be made to Nassau Presbyterian Church, 61 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ, 08542 or to Japan ICU (International Christian University) Foundation, Study Abroad Initiative, 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 439, NY, NY 10115 or www.jicuf.org.