Nancy Harriette Milton, 77, of Newport News, passed away on April 23.  

Nancy grew up in Newport News, graduating from Warwick High School in 1963 and Radford College in 1967.  She was employed by Colonial Williamsburg for 40 years, beginning as a costumed historical interpreter.  In 1981, she had the chance to meet Prince Charles and talk to him about CW.  She later joined the Interpretive Education Department, where she shared her knowledge of eighteenth-century Williamsburg, Virginia, and the British North American colonies with CW interpreters.  She wanted them to be able to talk about all of the people who lived and worked in Williamsburg (wealthy, middling, and poor; white, Black, and Native; male and female; enslaved and free) not just the political leaders.

She was the editor of The Colonial Williamsburg Interpreter newsletter.

Traveling with friends was a favorite pastime of Nancy’s. She visited several European countries, including Hawaii, and made two trips to Egypt. She bestowed the names of Egyptian deities on her series of beloved cats.

Nancy was a lifelong member of Hilton Presbyterian Church, where she served as an elder and sang soprano in the choir.  A highlight for her church Circle was their June meeting and salad supper in the yard of her various homes in the restored area of Williamsburg.  She was an incredible teacher, and the meetings where she gave the bible lessons were memorable.

Preceding her in death were her parents Harry I. and Sarah Jane Milton. Nancy treasured her connections with her sister Charlotte Nettles, of Port Orange, FL, her nieces and nephews Cyndi Dawson, Janie Watson, Bill E Nettles, and Chris Nettles, and her nine great-nieces and nephews.

Nancy’s family and friends would like to thank Kia Fennell for her loving care to the end.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 14, at 11:00 a.m., at Hilton Presbyterian Church, with visitation to follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hilton Presbyterian Church, 34 Main St., Newport News, VA 23601. 

Arrangements are under the care of Peninsula Funeral Home, 11144 Warwick Blvd., Newport News, Virginia 23601.