It is with great sadness that the Boston 2026 team and the philatelic community as a whole mourn the passing of Nancy Clark, the founder, patron and president emerita of Boston 2026 World Expo.
Recognized most recently in the 2022 edition of Linn’s Stamp News Most Influential Philatelists and Their Epic Stamp Stories, Nancy’s story began in her home town of Akron, Ohio, where both her parents were stamp collectors and began encouraging her interest in the hobby at the age of 5. She became a music teacher and found employment in Rochester, New York. There she joined the Rochester Philatelic Association in the 1970’s, taking an interest in exhibiting, judging, stamp show organization, and creating youth stamp programs in local grammar schools. Quoting Nancy, “When my kids were kids, that’s when I first began working with beginning collectors.”
Nancy’s talents in these areas became well known to national philatelic leaders at the time and she was tapped to lead youth activities at the 1986 Ameripex international exhibition in Chicago. However, there was a greater need for qualified judges at the time and she reluctantly agreed to turn youth responsibilities to others to judge instead. Around the same time, she received a grant from the Council of Philatelic Organizations to design and develop youth areas for national shows.
Moving out of the area in the early 1980s, she and her husband Doug Clark were the driving force behind the creation of the Georgia Federation of Stamp Clubs in 1990, eventually becoming the current Southeast Federation of Stamp Clubs that annually hosts the national WSP Southeastern Stamp Expo. An even bigger assignment awaited her as she was chosen to head the Olymphilex 1996 international exhibition taking place in conjunction with the 100th Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Nancy has always had strong ties with the American Philatelic Society, holding several committee positions and offices over the years, including Treasurer and Director at Large. She was accredited as an APS chief philatelic and literature judge and FIP international judge. Many will remember her for hosting “APS Stamp Talk with Nancy Clark” for more than 17 years, interviewing leaders from organized philately.
In more recent years Nancy was appointed Interpretive Master Planner for the Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History in 2010 before heading up Boston 2026 activities.
A recipient of many prestigious award from a variety of societies, Nancy’s philatelic recognitions include the APS 2006 Kehr Award for work with beginning collectors, APS 2008 Luff award for exceptional contributions to philately, the Philatelic Foundation’s 2018 Neinken Medal for distinguished service, and an appointment as a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society of London for noteworthy contributions to philately.
Anyone who met her will always remember her smile, kindness and encouragement in whatever philatelic ventures awaited.