Obituary of Nancy Brown Raasch

Nancy Raasch died peacefully at home with family on April 15, 2018.

She was born in Modesto, CA, and moved to Chapel Hill/Carrboro with her husband Ralph in 1976 when he accepted a faculty position at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. Nancy attended Henry M. Gunn Senior High School in Palo Alto, CA, where she met Ralph, and she graduated in 1968. She then earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography from the University of California, Davis, in 1972. She began a graphic/book design career while in California, and upon her move to North Carolina was employed as a graphic designer by Village Companies in Chapel Hill. In 1998, she left Village Companies to start her own freelance graphic design company, and continued in that work until her second cancer diagnosis was made in 2008.

In 2010, she began to learn about the art of Joomchi, using felted Korean mulberry paper to craft a variety of jewelry items, including earrings and necklaces. Her work can still be seen at raaschdesign.com. She continued to enjoy that craftsmanship until January 2018. She is survived by her husband, Ralph, of Carrboro, and daughter and son-in-law, Holly and Dylan McKnight, and granddaughter, Delany Rose, of Charlotte, NC.

Nancy was totally dedicated to her art, and to her granddaughter. Her works were on display from Florida, to North Carolina, to Washington State. No one has ever fought so hard against two significant cancer diagnoses for so long, and her closest friends can attest to her ability to enjoy her family, her artwork and her relationships with such grace and positivity. She wishes to thank the wonderful staff at the UNC Cancer Hospital Infusion Clinic, who cared for her for the last 20 years.

Memorial donations can be made to the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center (www.unclineberger.org, via the Make a Gift link). A memorial service is being planned.