MARLBOROUGH - Nan (Canby) "Nancy" Fowler, 77, died on Thursday November 7, 2013. Born in Dayton, Ohio, the daughter of the late Richard Stoddard and Annette (Canby) Fowler of Princeton, N.J., she grew up in Dayton and Toronto.

Following her graduation from Skidmore College, she lived in the greater Boston area for many years. She was employed at the former Digital Equipment Corp. for more than 15 years and later worked for several companies in the MetroWest area including the MetroWest Daily News as a writer and editor. For more than 20 years, Ms. Fowler lived in Sudbury where she raised her three daughters, and also lived in Marlborough for many years.

She leaves her daughters, Pamela Fowler Lordi and her husband, Alan A., of Castle Pines, CO., Sarah Canby Foote of Everett, MA; and Julia Landry Foote of Salem, MA; her grandchildren, Benjamin Stoddard, Noah Perry, and Grace Anh Canby Lordi, all of Castle Pines; her sisters, Annette F. Hunt of  Leesburg, VA, and Sarah Perrine of OR; and several nieces and nephews.

She would ask that you celebrate her life rather than mourn her death. Nan loved her gardens, painting, plants, working with glass, and tutoring and other volunteer work she did. Her children and grandchildren were very special to her and she was so very proud of them and their accomplishments. She was grateful for the love and caring of Richard, Silmara, and Aiden Collins—who were also very special to her.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday November 30 at 10:30 a.m. in the Fitzgerald & Collins Funeral Home ( www.CollinsFuneral.com ), 378 Lincoln Street, Marlborough. A private burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Marlborough. Calling hours will be held Friday November 29 from 5-8 p.m. in the Fitzgerald & Collins Funeral Home, 378 Lincoln Street, Marlborough.

Memorial donations may be made to Lustgarten Foundation: Pancreatic Cancer Research, 1111 Stewart Avenue, Bethpage, NY 11714 or the Marlborough Public Library, 35 W. Main Street, Marlborough, MA 01752. Funeral arrangements  have been entrusted to the care of the Fitzgerald & Collins Funeral Home ( www.CollinsFuneral.com ), 378 Lincoln Street, Marlborough. All are invited to sign Nan's guestbook at www.CollinsFuneral.com .