Nancy J. Brigham

Nancy J. Brigham, 92, passed away peacefully at Kimball Farms Nursing Care Center in Lenox MA, on January 6, 2025. Nancy was born on March 3, 1932, in Endicott, NY to Dorothy and Robert Martin. In 1950, she graduated from Vestal Central High School, in Vestal NY. Upon graduation, Nancy went to work for IBM in Endicott NY and it was at an IBM Christmas Party in 1951 where she met her future husband, Karl Brigham. The following May they were engaged and then married on August 23rd that same year. The newlyweds wasted no time growing their family, and after their three boys were settled in school, Nancy returned to work at IBM on a “fill-in” basis. Later, she worked at the Town of Vestal, first in the Town Clerk’s Office, and later in the Planning and Engineering Office. In 1979, she and Karl embarked on a journey that took them to Charlotte, NC, when Karl accepted a transfer offer with IBM. While living in Charlotte, Nancy took courses at Central Piedmont Community College and went back to work doing taxes for H & R Block. Karl and Nancy’s North Carolina adventures continued with two more moves. First, to a new construction on Lake Norman and later to another new build in the mountains, near Brevard. In 1996, Karl and Nancy decided to leave North Carolina and purchased a home in Apalachin, NY where they were again close to family and friends. Always being planners, in 2008 when Good Shepherd Village in Endwell, NY broke ground on a new retirement community, Karl and Nancy were quick to reserve a space and soon became inaugural residents. At the peak of the Covid pandemic in 2021, Nancy relocated to the Kimball Farms Life Care Community in Lenox, MA to be near her son Kraig and family.
Nancy will be remembered as a kind, fair, and generous woman who cared deeply for her family and close friends. During Karl’s final years and struggle with Alzheimer’s, Nancy was not only his wife and friend but his greatest advocate and caretaker. She seldom left Karl’s side and set a beautiful example for what true love looks like. In her later years, Nancy’s greatest pleasures were weekly hair appointments, color coordinating lovely outfits each day, regular manicures, reading books from the library, shopping for and sending cards to remember family birthdays or anniversaries, and most enjoyably, watching “those little ones” grow through their visits, texts, calls, and shared digital photos sent to her frame.
Nancy is survived by three siblings Bill Martin (Mary Lou) of Little Meadows, PA; Sally Purtell (Tom) of Bradenton, FL and Patty Gardner (Mark) of Endicott, NY; three children Randy Brigham (Fran) of Spencerport, NY; Kraig Brigham (Sharon) of Lenox, MA; and Tim Brigham (Pam) of Waynesboro, VA. She also leaves five loving granddaughters Alison Brigham of Lenox, MA; MacKenzie Brigham (Eli Schwartz) of Boston, MA; Jennelle Torres (Aaron) of Waynesboro, VA; Laura Reed (Tucker) of St. Inigoes, MD; and Leanne Brigham of Buffalo, NY. In addition, Nancy leaves eight precious great-grandchildren Forest, Anza, Acre, and Thatcher Reed; Ollie and Mae Torres; and Seymour and Sidney Schwartz. Nancy was pre-deceased by her husband of 61 years, Karl Brigham, her brother Jack Martin, and a sister Susann Mitchell.
Visitation and a Service of Remembrance will be held from 10 am, until service time at 11 am, Monday, January 13 at Allen Memorial Home, 511-513 East Main Street, Endicott, NY. Burial will follow immediately at Vestal Hill’s Memorial Park, 3997 Vestal Road, Vestal, NY.
To honor Nancy with a memorial gift, please consider a donation to the Kimball Farms Life Enrichment Program activities, which Nancy enjoyed. (Send checks to Kimball Farms, 235 Walker St. Lenox, MA 01240, Attention: Fiona, and include “LEP Activities” on the memo line.)