Nancy Barnes, 68, died unexpectedly at her home in Sugar River Mills in Claremont on Sunday, August 29, 2010.

She was born Nancy Ann Hayward on March 31, 1942, the daughter of Robert and Catrena (Porter) Hayward.  She grew up in Croydon, NH in a family of six children.  She went on to have five children of her own: Ricky, Christine, Barry, Dean, and Nicole.

She loved children, hers and everyone else’s.  She enjoyed exploring the woodlands, brooks, and seashores of New Hampshire gathering wild edible mushrooms, rocks and driftwood.  She created art and sculptures using materials she found outdoors.  Her careers included Head Start teacher, manager of apartment complexes, Sturm Ruger Company in Newport, waitress and seamstress.

She is survived by her sister, Gloria McDonough and her husband, John of Newport; brother, Victor Hayward and his wife, Merrily of Windsor, VT; brother, Kenneth Lurvey and his wife, Diane of Concord, NH; sister-in-law, Sandra Benjamin of Enfield; brother-in-law, Robert Brown of Providence, RI; her daughter, Christine Bell and her husband, Brian of Brookfield; son, Barry Duguie of Charlestown, and daughter Nicole LaFrance and her husband, Shawn Randall of Unity.  Grandchildren include Natasha Nemetz of Bedford; Shane and Stephanie Duguie of Newport; Forest and Autumn Randall of Unity.  She also had three great-granchildren.

She was Predeceased by her brother, Ross Lurvey and his fiancé, Emily Cook; sister, Amber (Lurvey) Brown; sons, Ricky Partlow and Dean Barnes and grandson, Branden Bell.

A memorial service will be held at the Croydon Fire Station at 2 pm on Friday, September 3.  For more information call 542-0359.  Her family asks that visitors bring flowers or something from nature that reminds you of Nancy.