STORRS, Nancy Hitchcock   -  Nancy passed away peacefully, in her sleep after a courageous battle with cancer on September 8, 2023.

She was born on March 24, 1950, in Huntington, New York. Nancy found her lifelong passion for rowing while a student at Williams College.

She was a trailblazer in the sport, a member of the first American Women's Rowing Team to compete at the World Championships in 1975.

Nancy competed in three more World Championships, earning a total of four World Championship medals.

She was also an Olympian, racing in the 1976 Montreal Olympics, the first Olympics to include women's rowing, as well as being named to the boycotted 1980 Olympic Team.

In 1985, she moved north of the border to St. Catharines, where she spent the next four decades sharing her love of rowing out of the Ridley Graduate Boat Club. Whether you rowed for a few years or a lifetime, Nancy made sure your memories of the sport were fond ones.

Nancy was the consummate volunteer around Henley Island. In addition to coaching, she helped run local regattas, including the Royal Canadian Henley and Canadian Secondary School Championships.

Nancy was predeceased by her partner, Jack Nicholson; parents, Frances and Richard Storrs; brothers, David Storrs (Landon, Lando and Ty, David Jr.) and Nick Storrs (Jeanie, Leslie and Bruce, Rich and Jessica).

She is survived by her sisters, Ginny Akabane and Ayer Bellermann (Mark and Vesper, Wendy and Josh, Jamie and Stephanie); and brother, Cleveland Storrs. She will be remembered fondly by her many Rousmaniere and Gordon cousins.

Nancy will be missed by her many friends in the rowing community, both in Niagara and around the world.

Visitation will be held at George Darte Funeral Chapel on Sunday, September 17th from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m., with a Celebration of Life on Sunday, September 24th from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. at the Neil Campbell Training Centre on Henley Island.

In lieu of flowers, please honour Nancy's memory with donations to the Canadian Henley Rowing Corporation.