"Celebrate my life, don't mourn my death" wrote Nancy Gayle Ward Tuksaudom prior to her passing on November 13, 2025.  She lived a full life.  Her intelligence, energy, grace, and positive spirit will continue to inspire us all.

Nancy Gayle Ward Tuksaudom was born in Texas in 1943 but most of her childhood was spent in Seattle followed by Seattle, WA.  She attended college at WWU, PLU, and UW. She worked at the University of Washington's Colleges of Engineering where she met and fell in love with Pricha, a civil engineering student.  He graduated and they married in Thailand in 1973.  They lived and worked in Thailand for 2 years and had the opportunity to meet the King. They returned to Seattle, bought a lovely Tudor style house in the Roosevelt district of Seattle in 1975.  Nancy loved her job at Metro where she made major support contributions to Seattle bus, the bus tunnel and original light rail planning.

Nancy cherished her parents, her brother David and all of her family and friends she knew since early school days. She had a deep need to find her son Mike Williams who had been adopted by a family following his birth. That wish finally came true and she worked to fill in the missing time by actively building a special relationship with him, his wife and two grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her son Mike, her parents, and her brother. She leaves behind her great friend, Pricha, her cousin Margaret, numerous nieces and nephews and extended family in the US and Thailand, daughter-in-law Lis and the two grandchildren who adored her.

Nancy fought battles to retain her health! She won the battle with lymphoma but the medications impacted her later in life. She struggled with debilitating arthritis that was further complicated by neuropathy impacting the function of hands and feet. Her strength and fortitude kept her focused on having a good time with friends!  She was always ready for fun! She loved conversation and shared meals with laughter. She loved getting to know people and was always ready for a party with dancing, sparkles and cocktails. Nancy had a lifelong love for jazz music and art that was shared by both her father and stepfather who were architects and jazz musicians. She was often the one to suggest going to a movie or a concert or creating some fun social event.

She had a deep appreciation for the planet and life itself.  She enjoyed long walks and hikes in nature. Her curiosity and big heart made her a keen and empathetic observer.  She enjoyed camping, many road trips, and traveled throughout the US and abroad. She learned the history and culture of every place she traveled. With her love of nature as the inspiration, she left these thoughts to stay with us:

"Enjoy life. Leave it the same or better than when you touched it. Love your Mother (Earth)" and "Remember me as a person who tried to live in harmony with nature."

If you wish to make a donation in Nancy's honor she recommends the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Nature Conservancy of Washington https://www.nature.org/en-us/membership-and-giving/donate-to-our-mission/" or an environmental cause of your choice.