Nancy K. Outten, 1925–2026

She is survived by her brother Richard B. Knight (Shirley) of Pensacola, Fla., her son Peter of Waltham, her daughters Rebecca Babbs (John) of Eureka Springs, Ark., and Sarah Brown (Robert) of Rochester, N.Y., and her son Ben Kelley-Outten (Susan) of Woodstock, Vt.; six grandchildren, Rowan (Rohini) Barden, Loren Barden, Sarah Hereth, Amanda Evans, Winona Brown, and Brian Bonia; and 11 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her loving husband of 57 years, Henry P. Outten.

Nancy was born in 1925 in St Louis, Mo., to Alice Rubelmann Knight and William Benjamin Knight Jr. She was a teacher both in spirit and in profession and taught on both sides of raising four children. As a reading specialist at Hanscom Primary School, she made a big difference in the lives of children, some of whom she maintained relationships with her over many years. Her life is marked by a curiosity for all people whom she met and a genuine interest in what they would share. She lived her life in connection with many people whom she met across the course of her life, often forming long-lasting bonds.

Nancy also had a passion for the outdoors and showed this through her ability to walk for hours on end through the hills and mountains of the Northeast or along the shores of her beloved Lake Michigan, leaving many younger souls in her wake. She inspired this passion in all her children and led them on many storied journeys.

Nancy also had a deep desire to help and support her family and was always present to lend a hand and help in any way she could, which she did with regularity. She would delight in the visits of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and always had a beautiful, childlike nature when the moment called for fun and lightness. Laughter was with her through the entire length of her life, and even in the final days she was inviting those around her into moments of unrestrained joyful laughter. Nancy showed us all how to live a life well lived, and through that remains with us.

Since April 2020, Nancy was cared for at home by a dedicated and loving team of aides who made it possible for her to fulfill her wish to live out her life at home. Joyce, Esther, and Harriet have become part of our family, and we are deeply grateful for their years of kind, attentive service and love.

Nancy left this world a better place for having spent 101 years in it, connecting with one person at a time.

A celebration of life will take place at the First Parish Church in Lincoln at 2:30pm on Saturday, August 29, 2026. The celebration will be live-streamed and recorded.

Arrangements are under the care of Concord Funeral Home, which provided this obituary.