Obituary of Nancy O'Malley

Nancy O'Malley, age 94, of Palm City, passed away peacefully on January 17, 2014. She was born in Newton, Massachusetts, on February 1, 1919, attended Beaver Country Day School in Chestnut Hill, MA, and graduated from Long Island University, Brookville, NY.

She was known as a portrait painter and her work was often shown at the Arts Council in Stuart. In addition her paintings have been displayed at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC, Barzansky Gallery, NY, Academy of Arts, Easton, MD, and numerous other galleries. Portraits painted by O'Malley include Leonard Bernstein, Jean Shrimpton, Princess Marcella Borghese, Duke Ellington, Col. Blaine Hammond and many others.

In addition to painting, O'Malley was also a writer. She had two books published: "Ingrid Bergman, Actress of Truth" and "Sailing South," a memoir of sailing on the Intracoastal Waterway every year with her husband, Charles. She was also a poet, having written a volume of poems with several of them published.

In 1989, when her husband Charles died of leukemia, O'Malley discovered ballroom dancing. She pursued it relentlessly with her teacher, Bill Hering. Together they competed around the world - from Madeira to Honolulu and many venues in the United States. They won over 700 first place awards and over 50 medals at the US Ballroom Championships, many of them gold.

O'Malley gave much of her time to local charities. For many years she recorded books for the blind at Second Sight in Stuart and also brought reproductions of famous works of art to elementary schools to educate young children about noted artists.

She was predeceased by her parents, Paul Jens Bertelsen and Margaret Nolan Bertelsen. Survivors include her sons Michael O'Malley (Lei) of Lincoln, MA, Charles O'Malley (Marjorie) of San Diego, CA, Arthur O'Malley (Wendie) of Newport Coast, CA and daughters Barbara O'Malley Morrison (Robert) of Nashville, TN, and Brooke O'Malley Kilinski (Don) of Durango, CO. Additional survivors include 9 grandchildren.

Memorial donations may be sent to Second Sight Taping Studio, 2153 SE Ocean Blvd, Stuart, FL 34996 or Treasure Coast Hospice, 1201 SE Indian Street, Stuart, FL 34997.

A private family service will be held at a later date. Forest Hills Funeral Home Palm City in charge of arrangements.