Nancy Mead

Nancy Eleanor Mead passed away peacefully on July 3, 2026 with family by her side in Santa Cruz, CA. She was born on September 30,1933, in Hammond, Indiana, near Chicago to parents Bernard and Luella (Hootman) Herriman and soon became the older sister to brother Jim. They moved around frequently due to her father working for the US Department of Labor. The family lived in Muncie, Indiana and Evanston, Illinois prior to settling in Peoria, Illinois. Nancy loved living in smaller towns in the midwest and visiting her grandparents on their farm in Sheldon, Illinois, where all of the children would go to the movie theater every weekend to watch the latest film and celebrate their birthdays. Nancy thrived in Peoria, becoming valedictorian at her high school and participating in many activities, such as student government, debate, choir, and acting. She was granted a full tuition scholarship to Bradley University and continued there until completing a Master's degree in clinical psychology.

During an internship at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C., she met her future husband John "Jack" Mead, who was also interning there. Together they built careers in psychology and psychiatry, first in Lexington, Kentucky, where Jack did his psychiatric residency at the first US Public Health Service drug treatment hospital. While there they met a cherished group of lifelong friends. Nancy worked as a psychologist at the Lexington Child Guidance Clinic until they made the long drive in their Karmann Ghia convertible to Berkeley, California (by way of Mexico) where Jack would finish his residency. They had gone to explore The West, not knowing that California would become their home.

Nancy worked as an assistant to the chief of medicine at Kaiser Permanente and, following that, as a psychologist with the Alameda County Juvenile Court while Jack pursued his training in both Berkeley and San Francisco. By the fall of 1962, Nancy was pregnant, and they bought a house and settled in Berkeley. While very happy there, at the end of 1965 Jack decided to accept the position of director at the Pasadena Child Guidance Clinic, and they made their way to southern California where they remained for the next 37 years.

In Pasadena, Nancy became a health consultant to the Head Start program, part of Lyndon Johnson’s burgeoning “war on poverty” initiative. In 1979 she and Jack started a private practice which they maintained through 1995. Her time in Pasadena was also filled with various volunteer activities including her work with progressive political action group ACT where she eventually served as president. Both Nancy and Jack were proud to have hosted a party for Adam Schiff during his candidacy for the California State Senate, and they closely followed his career and politics in general. A great lover of singing, music, and gardening, Nancy sang with a Pasadena choral group, the Arroyo Singers, and became active in the local chapter of the Mediterranean Garden Society. They remained in Pasadena until moving to Santa Cruz in 2003 to be near their daughter and her family.

In Santa Cruz, Nancy and Jack participated in what would become the Osher Life Long Learners or OLLI. This became their source of intellectual stimulation and meeting new friends. Eventually, Nancy served on the board and became its president in 2010. Attending her film seminar group, Concept Exchange meetings, and The Future of Capitalism class brought her enjoyment for many years. She believed it was important to stay curious, ask questions, and never stop learning. Nancy adored Santa Cruz: enjoying her proximity to the University, the beach, cultural events, and her fantastic neighbors. She walked daily to connect with others and, after Jack passed away in 2018, she continued to make new friends. She is predeceased by brother Jim and many close friends. She is survived by her daughter Maria Mead; son-in-law Peter Newton; grandchildren Miranda and Gabriel Mead-Newton; dear friend and cousin Catherine Cloud; nephews Jeff, Dan, and Greg Herriman and their families; organizer and housekeeper Bonnie Keeshan; and many other friends and admirers. Nancy will be remembered by many for being a great and curious listener and she cherished hearing people’s stories until the very end of her life. Kind and generous, she loved people and brought them together.

Nancy was passionate about the environment and loved listening to music. If you wish to honor her memory, you might consider listening to Chet Atkins or giving a donation to the organization of your choice that works to stop climate change. Her most fervent wish was that everyone stay informed and vote!

Send a note to Maria at [email protected] if you would like to read Nancy’s more detailed autobiography with more photos, learn about green burial, or be informed about a future date for a celebration in her honor.