Nancy M. Donigian

Nancy May (Marchant) Donigian went to be with The Lord on Sunday, March 29, 2026 at the age of 91. She was born on June 19,1934 in the beautiful Bay View section of Gloucester, Mass which would always be her favorite place.

After graduating from Gloucester High School, she went to work at Sylvania in Danvers where she would meet her husband, Jacob Donigian, with whom she would share 47 years of marriage. Nancy spent the rest of her life in Methuen where she raised her children and made many, many friends. She worked for the Methuen public schools as a program assistant at the Marsh for close to twenty years, where she was loved by the students and known to retrieve a ball or two from the roof of the building.

Nancy was a devoted mom to her two children and was very involved in their activities including marching band where she was active as a band parent and she traveled with the buddy warner ski team families during ski season. Nancy was a beloved “grammie” to five and cherished time spent with them whether in her home or visiting in Illinois or New York. One of her favorite stories was the time she and “papa” just showed up to surprise her grandchildren in Illinois. She was talented with crafts and took joy in decorating her home for the seasons and holidays. She made beautiful ceramic creations and gifted her children and many nieces and nephews with pieces over the years. She loved to garden and took great pride in her yard on Harvard Ave, where she said she had the best neighbors in the world.

In more recent years, Nancy became very involved in the Methuen Senior Activity Center where she volunteered in the Thrift Shop and served on the Trustee Board. She loved going for lunch and lent a hand wherever she could. She became a resident at Methuen Village most recently and enjoyed that wonderful community.

Nancy lived a life of service, but none of her service was more important to her than serving God through her church. She was a Sunday School teacher as a teenager in Gloucester. She went on to join St. George Primitive Methodist Church in Methuen where she led the women’s group, organized church suppers and fairs, corresponded with missionaries and served as the church delegate to its national conference in Maryland as well as being a delegate to the Methuen Christian League. She worked as the sexton for years and kept the altar shined to perfection. She continued to serve the church as it became New Hope Church and then in recent years became a member of an affiliate church, Lawrence Street PM church in Lowell. She loved her Lord and showed it through service.

Nancy was predeceased by her parents William and Mary (Baldwin) Marchant, her husband, Jacob Donigian and her brothers John, William and Gilbert Marchant and sisters Elizabeth Berg and Georgina Grace. She leaves behind her daughter Christine Tisbert and her son John Donigian and daughter-in-law, Donna and five grandchildren Bridget Tisbert, Jacob Tisbert, Matthew Donigian and his wife, Ana, Katie Cox and her husband Steve and Emily Donigian and great grandson, Theodore Cox, along with many nieces and nephews and lifelong friends. She had a long life, well-lived and will be missed by all who knew her.

Family and friends are invited to calling hours on Tuesday April 7, 2026 from 4 pm to 6 pm at the Dewhirst Boles Funeral Home 80 Broadway, Methuen. Funeral services will be on Wednesday April 8 at 11:00 am at the funeral home. Private burial will be at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimers Association. To leave an online condolence, please visit Nancy’s tribute page at www.dewhirstbolesfuneral.com.

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