Nancy Marsh, 60, of McLean

»Information from the Money and King Funeral Home and Cremation Services website.

Nancy Ann Corcoran was born on October 31, 1954.

Her life was filled with laughter and love. Her father, Lawrence Corcoran, was a lt. Colonel in the US Air Force and a father of five children, of which Nancy was the eldest.

Living across the country and on different continents from an early age, Nancy had plenty of experience making new friends and remaining loyal to her old acquaintances. Yet, her ease with others stemmed from more than her upbringing. She was a stunningly beautiful, vivacious woman. Her high-energy enthusiasm for life allowed her to have multiple careers, raise two loving children, and be a dedicated partner to her husband for 35 years.

Much of Nancy’s childhood was spent in South America, as her father served as the Air Force Attaché to Chile for nine years. Nancy’s mother was part of an immigrant family that moved from Ireland to the Boston area, and Nancy maintained both American and Irish citizenship. Nancy worked tirelessly to share her love of adventure and culture with her family, and gave her children the opportunity to travel in addition to planning several splendid family trips overseas.

Nancy loved children and had compassion for all people around her. She earned a masters degree in education and focused on children with special needs, teaching in multiple states and school districts. She met her husband, Joseph Durward Marsh, Jr. in Washington, D.C., where they would eventually start their home. Later they moved to McLean, Virginia.

Motherhood was Nancy’s top priority after having two children, Lauren Ashley Marsh and Joseph Corcoran Marsh. Her life focused on the children’s school, sports, and social activities. She determinedly helped each young person she could, and cared deeply about all the friends and family around her. She cared more for the enjoyment of others than herself.

Nancy’s commitment to helping others as a mother was not enough, and she began a new career in the early ‘90s with great success. She became a realtor for the McLean office of Long and Foster, and was granted an office in the pit and discouraging statistics of success without any experience.

Her first year as a realtor, Nancy was Northern Virginia’s Rookie of the Year, selling more real estate than any other new agent in any company. Her success continued. She practiced as a realtor for 25 years, and is a lifetime member of many honorary groups within Long and Foster. Her genuine concern for her clients, and ethos of treating everyone like family made her success in this competitive business.

Decades later, Nancy inspired us again with reinvention. With a lifelong love of travel, and a long history of flight in her family, Nancy decided to begin another career. Nancy’s mother, Margaret Keohane Corcoran, had been a flight attendant and a realtor, along with a tireless mother of five and wife of an Air Force Officer. Nancy again decided to follow in her footsteps, and began working for US Airways in Reagan National Airport.

As a gate agent, she truly enjoyed helping the travelers, and her smile was appreciated by many passengers, as she always looked and did her best, at the airport or anywhere. Nancy enjoyed the travel benefits, spending time with her now adult children who were pleased to join her on vacations and welcome her into their homes.

During the holiday season of 2014, Nancy and the Marsh family faced tragic news about Nancy’s health. Despite the dire diagnosis, Nancy, as usual, showed up smiling and ready for a ferocious fight. She endured the most aggressive surgical and medical therapy available, and never gave up hope.

After watching the fireworks as a family on July 4 in her hospital room, Nancy lost her first fight against anything. Though her beautiful body was taken from her and her family too soon, her spirit is still living in so many people that she knew and kept in her heart.

Please come and honor this wonderful woman with the Marsh Family that survives her: Joe Marsh, Joey Marsh, and Lauren Marsh. A viewing will be held at Money and King funeral home in Vienna, Virginia, on Thursday, July 23 from 6-8 p.m.

A memorial service at the Washington National Cathedral is planned on Friday, July 24 at 10 a.m.