Nancy C. Hursey, whose name graces the Francis X. and Nancy Hursey Center for Advanced Engineering and Health Professions at the center of campus, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Oct. 12.
Though she graduated from the St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing, Nancy became an honorary member of the University of Hartford family through her husband, Frank Hursey A’73, ’77. Together, their generosity and vision helped shape one of the University’s most transformative facilities—the Hursey Center, a cornerstone for innovation in engineering and health professions.
“I’m so proud of what Frank has done at the University that I feel like I’m part of it,” Nancy reflected a few years ago. “And everyone is so kind here. They treat me like I’m a graduate.”
Born in Hartford and residing for many years in West Hartford, Nancy was a registered nurse for 40 years, with an abiding passion for her profession and a unshakable dedication to helping people. She held positions at Saint Francis Hospital, the UConn Health Center, and the Hospital for Special Care in New Britain.
Diagnosed with diabetes as a child, Nancy spent considerable time in the hospital and attributed her passion for nursing to the kind and empathetic nurses who helped her. Once she became one, she served in many capacities, including intensive care units and discharge offices, where she helped coordinate comprehensive follow-up care for patients. She also provided care on a volunteer basis at a local church for people who could not afford to see a doctor.
Guided by Nancy’s compassion and spirit of giving, the Hursey Family Foundation has touched lives from Uganda to UHart—creating a legacy that will endure for generations.
Nancy was married to Frank for 58 years and was a devoted mother to three children. She found great happiness in her nine grandchildren.
Funeral Services will be on Monday, October 20, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. at the Chapel at Holy Family Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Ave., West Hartford. Friends and family may call on Sunday, Oct. 19, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Molloy Funeral Home, 906 Farmington Ave., West Hartford.