Nancy Virginia (McIlvain) Beswick

Nancy Virginia Beswick, age 92 of Toronto, OH passed away Sunday, September 9, 2018 at the Valley Hospice Care Center North, Steubenville, OH.

She was born May 23, 1926 in Toronto, OH the daughter of the late Gilbert Greer McIlvain and the late Emma Ault Peters Taylor McIlvain. Also preceded in death by her husband, William James Beswick in 1998 whom she married June 17, 1951; daughter, Nancy Rebecca (Tootsie) Allen and son-in-law, Gary Allen and half-brothers, Robert G. and Harry (Fred) Taylor.

Nancy is survived by her sons, William Bradley (Rebecca) Beswick and James Bentley (Tammy) Beswick  and a daughter, Barbara L. (Greg) Scott all of Toronto, OH; nine grandchildren and seven great- grandchildren; sister, Peggy McIlvain Cox Johnson Fulton of Titusville, FL. and several nieces and nephews. Nancy loved her grand-dogs, Sidney and Jake.

She served as Toronto City Council at Large for two terms, 1994 to 1997; worked as Toronto Scene correspondent for the Herald Star for six years, 1989 to 1995 and the Toronto Tribune from 1969 to 1988; was a clerk from 1944 to 1951 in the Herald Star circulation department.

Nancy was a 1944 graduate of Toronto High School; member of the Toronto High School Alumni Association having served on the first all school reunion committee as co-chairperson of the program book; a lifelong member of the Toronto First Presbyterian Church where she served as an Elder, Deacon, Sunday school teacher and Chi Rho Youth Group leader and was story (news) contributor to the Presbyterian Life newsletter; was a Beaver Creek Church Camp counselor for ten summer weeks including one week as co-director.

As a member of the Toronto Bi-Centennial committee in 1976 having prepared a scrapbook of the celebration activities from articles she wrote for local newspapers which were buried in the community’s time capsule to be uncovered in 2026.

Nancy was a charter member and publicity chair for over ten years of the original Toronto Girls Softball League where she served as a coach for several years and was co-chair of the leagues ten year celebration program. She was co-organizer of a women’s softball team sponsored by Toronto merchants. The team won the 1948 championship in the Steubenville Women’s League.

She had been a dispatcher at the Toronto Emergency Medical Service; secretary of the former Toronto Chamber of Commerce board of directors where she served as publicity chair for several years.

Nancy served for many years as card secretary for the Riverside Manor Prayer Share Fellowship and was secretary and publicity person for the Toronto Sunrise Senior Citizens.

Her hobbies were reading, writing and softball.

Visitation hours for Nancy will be held 2-4 & 6-8 Thursday, September 13th at the Clarke Funeral Home, 302 Main St., Toronto, OH and additional visitation 10- 11 A.M. Friday at the First Presbyterian Church followed by a celebration of  Nancy’s life service at 11 A.M. at the church with the Reverend Michael Bongart officiating. Interment will follow at the Toronto Union Cemetery.

Memorial contributions in memory of Nancy may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, 116 N. Third St., Toronto, OH 43964 or the Toronto High School Alumni Association, 102 N. Third St., Toronto, OH 43964

Nancy’s family would like to thank Gable’s Care Center for the outstanding and loving care they gave Nancy while she was there.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Nancy Virginia (McIlvain) Beswick, please visit our floral store.