A chapter of York County history closed on Sunday, March 27, 2016, when Nancy Slaight Spaniol peacefully passed away at her Yorktown home after a long illness. She was attended that night by her loving family in vigil.
Nancy was born on January 29, 1930, in the Yorktown home of her parents, Eugene E. Slaight and Lola Hornsby Slaight. She was the youngest, and last survivor, of seven Slaight sisters and one brother. Nancy was a lifelong resident and contributor to York County. She graduated from Poquoson High School, when it was the only high school located between Hampton and Williamsburg. She had been a member of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church since its founding.
Nancy served York County as a school bus driver for five years, and then took her mother’s place as a York County magistrate in 1965. She served as a full-time magistrate until her retirement in 1991. In retirement, Nancy was a volunteer at the Yorktown Watermen’s Museum until yielding to health issues.
Nancy was the widow of retired U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. George P. Spaniol. George retired from the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center in Yorktown. Nancy was a member of Officers’ Wives Club, and the couple remained active in social life at the base until George’s passing.
Nancy is survived by four of her children, who she raised in an authoritarian manner to carry on in her example as icons of polite Virginia society. The results are still a lively and lengthy conversation topic for Paul A. Doddy of Grafton, Lola D. Landvogt of Williamsburg, Chris T. Doddy of Virginia Beach and Lisa C. Taliaferro of Poquoson. She was a proud grandparent of nine and great-grandparent of 10.
In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
To view the full list of WYDaily obituaries, click here.
