Nancy Cox

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Nancy Lucille Cox, a Tisbury resident since 1969, died peacefully at home on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022, surrounded by family members. She was 86.

An honors graduate in speech and drama from Oberlin College, Nancy spent much of her adult life performing in professional, academic, and community theater nationally, abroad, and on the Island. She appeared in productions at the Vineyard Playhouse and the Island Theater Workshop. Nancy enjoyed all of her roles, but some of her favorites were Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” Ariel in Shakespeare’s “The Tempest,” Linda Loman in Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman,” Hedda in Henrik Ibsen’s “Hedda Gabler,” and Serafina in Tennessee Williams’ “The Rose Tattoo.”

Offstage, Nancy coordinated for four years a weekly play-reading group at the Tisbury Senior Center, and worked as a secretary at Martha’s Vineyard Community Services and MVY Radio.

In 2002 she became a member of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Martha’s Vineyard, where she served on the worship committee, utilizing her theater background to help design and evaluate effective liturgy.

Nancy had a lifelong interest in the relationship between theater and religion. Prior to living on the Island, she attended a graduate program in religious drama taught jointly by Boston University’s School of Theology and School of Fine and Applied Arts. One of the founders of the Boston Area Religious Drama Service, Nancy presented numerous performances in Boston-area churches.

Though divorcing after 29 years, Nancy and former husband theologian Harvey Cox remained good friends throughout their lives, and shared a similar overarching vision in their respective work. As Nancy put it, “Harvey and I didn’t plan this, but isn’t it fascinating to contemplate first, that ‘theos’ is the Greek word for God; second, that theologians study opinions about God and other religious questions; and third, that theater had one of its major roots in the theatron, or dancing circle, where plays and other tributes to the gods were performed in fifth century B.C. Greece.”

Nancy tended to recite from memory a line from Shakespeare or a Billy Collins poem while in unexpected places or under unusual circumstances, such as in her doctor’s office or in conversation with a telemarketer. She knew the species of every bird that visited her multiple feeders, and their respective behaviors and songs. With a twinkle in her eye, Nancy would lighten any mood with her dry but respectful sense of humor.

Nancy is survived by daughter Rachel Cox; son-in-law Peter Kelemen; son Martin Cox; daughter-in-law Elaine Cox; daughter Sarah Marshall;, son-in-law Nick Marshall; her grandchildren, Sara and Luci Kelemen, Logan, Ethan, and Milo Cox, and Max, Josie, and Miles Marshall; her brother Ed Nieburger and sister-in-law Gayle Nieburger; and nephew Braden Nieburger.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Unitarian Universalist Society of Martha’s Vineyard or to the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. A memorial service will be held at a later time.

2 COMMENTS

  1. I was lucky enough to be a stage manager for the ITW production of the Scottish play back in the mid-1980s, when Nancy played Lady MacB. She was amazing, riveting, compelling — a little scary even — night after night after night. I’ll never forget it.

  2. I was honored to spend an afternoon at her home about 5 years ago, and I knew I was in the presence of greatness! What an incredibly smart, intuitive force was she! I will miss her light! R.I.P. my friend!

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