Nancy Padbury Fish

Nancy Padbury Fish, 70, died September 9, 2017 in Hendersonville. She was born in Greenwich, CT and lived in CT before retiring to Hendersonville in 2007. She was a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and held a Master of Science in Chemistry from Drexel University, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Connecticut.
In Connecticut, Nancy worked as an office manager, a financial advisor and a High School chemistry and physics teacher. She also volunteered as a tutor and ESL teacher. She loved hiking, traveling, playing tennis and being outdoors. She was an accomplished road runner and marathoner.
Nancy’s life was marked with several milestones, each of which represented important turning points: marriage to Robert H Fish in 1968, the birth of three daughters in 1972, ‘74 and ’79, sobriety in 1995, and divorce in 1999. Nancy married Bruce Dana Melvin in 2007 and they moved to Hendersonville. She was diagnosed with advanced stage ovarian cancer in 2008.
In Hendersonville Nancy continued to maintain her interest in playing tennis, enjoying many social and USTA matches. She also took up quilting, enjoying the beauty of fabrics, colors and patterns. She won several prizes for her work. She also joined ovarian cancer support groups, locally and online, and actively helped others with the disease.
Nancy is survived by her husband, Bruce Melvin, who stayed by her side throughout her cancer treatments. She is also survived by three daughters: Jennifer Anona (Keith) of East Setauket, NY, Karen Fish of Chicago and Stephanie Fish of Hendersonville. She had five grandchildren: Tyler, Chris and Kate Ancona and Coral and Hunter Malters. She also had two beloved pets.
Nancy had a passion for life, nature and beauty. She tried to live each day to the fullest, finding joy in both large and small moments. Memorial donations may be made to Casting for Hope or Carolina Memorial Sanctuary Center for End of Life Transitions.

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