Nancy Brundy

November 21, 1941 - December 17, 2022

Nancy Buck Brundy was born November 21, 1941, in Rochester, MN. After a prolonged illness, she passed away peacefully on December 17, 2022, in Petaluma, CA, surrounded by her loving family. Nancy was a most caring and thoughtful mother, wife, sister, and friend. Generous of spirit, she brightened any room with her smile, warmth and kindness, sense of humour, and infectious laugh. She was a true joy to know. The daughter of Dr. Ronald and Leone Buck, Nancy grew up in Saint Joseph, MO, with her two brothers, Ron and Jim. As a teen, Nancy moved with her family to Santa Ana, CA, where she graduated valedictorian from Orange High School. She attended Pomona College, where she met her first husband, Larry Butler. They settled in San Francisco, Nancy’s beloved home for most of the next 55 years. There, she met her second husband, James Brundy, and raised her family. She believed strongly in the power of community and dedicated her career to providing services that helped elderly and disabled San Franciscans remain in their homes and communities.

Her career began as a social worker with the Aid to the Blind at the San Francisco Department of Social Services. She then joined San Francisco Home Health Service, a nonprofit agency dedicated to community and long-term care for the elderly and disabled. After graduating from UC Berkeley with a Master of Social Work degree, Nancy established an Adult Day Health Center (ADHC) at San Francisco Home Health Services, expanding the scope of that agency’s services. As a member of the San Francisco Adult Day Services Network, she developed state policy for and funding of adult day services, championing a continuum of communitybased services.

Much of her later career was spent at the San Francisco Institute on Aging (IOA), where Nancy managed the IOA’s ADHC and community-based programs, expanding services to those with Alzheimer’s and dementia. She also facilitated a partnership with On Lok to implement innovative PACE programs. Recognized for her dedication to community-based services, Nancy gained a local and national reputation in the field. She served multiple terms as the Chair of the National Adult Day Services Association, was appointed by Mayor Gavin Newson to the San Francisco Long Term Care Coordinating Council, and was a board member of Openhouse during its nascent years. Throughout her career, Nancy was a visionary, who was able to integrate her big-picture thinking with the day-to-day practicalities of managing complex programs.

Nancy saw the good and potential for better in almost every situation. She loved to host and her smile welcomed all. An inveterate reader, she was often seen with copies of the San Francisco Chronicle and the New York Times or a mystery novel. She was an avid follower of local and national politics, was a frequent attendee at the symphony, ballet and opera, and was known to catch a Warriors game or two. Later in life, she found great joy in walking around Lake Merced and Golden Gate Park with James and her family, admiring the natural splendor.

Nancy leaves behind many friends and family, including: her husband, James; her daughter, Deborah; her son, Josh, and his wife Julia; her beloved grandchildren, Ben and Nicholas; her brother Jim and his wife Julie; and several nieces and nephews. Nancy will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

An interment service will be held at Fernwood Cemetery, 301 Tennessee Valley Rd, in Mill Valley on March 19, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. A celebration of Nancy’s life will follow at 3:00 p.m. at The Junction, 226-CA-1, in Mill Valley. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Nancy’s memory to the IOA (https://www.ioaging. org/) for their ADHC programs or to Openhouse of San Francisco (https://www. openhousesf.org/).