Nancy Jane Ramos
Feb. 7, 1921-June 15, 2021
Cupertino, California
Nancy P. Ramos, age 100, died on June 15th at The Health Center at The Forum, in Cupertino, CA of natural causes.
Born to Dr. Ralph H. Peairs & Mrs. Myra Sinclair Peairs in Normal, Illinois on February 7, 1921.
She was predeceased by her loving husband of 67 years, Louis E. Ramos, and siblings Dr. Richard Peairs and Mrs. Myra P. Long.
After graduating from high school in Normal, Illinois, she enrolled in Illinois Wesleyan University, Normal Illinois, graduating in 1942. Upon graduation she got accepted to graduate school at the University of Southern California, and enrolled in the fall of 1942. In 1943 most of her graduate advisors were drafted for the war effort, and her classes were cancelled. She stayed in Southern California, and went to work in reservations with American Airlines. She also worked in Washington DC for American Airlines.
During the war she met Lt. Louis Ramos in Southern California at a USO party, and they corresponded during Louis's military service in the US Navy throughout the Pacific theater. In 1949 they were married on May 7th, in Normal, Illinois. Moving to New Orleans to live between 1949 and 1952. They moved to Norfolk, VA in 1952 when Louis was recalled for the Korean War. After being honorably discharged in 1954, they moved to Northern California, after falling in love with it during the war years. In 1954 they purchased a home in Palo Alto, and lived there until 2002, when they moved to The Forum, Cupertino, CA.
Nancy is survived by three sons, Randy (Kathy), Jon, and Brian, two granddaughters Monique (Chris), and Christina, and one great grandchild, Ethan.
Having a son with dyslexia, she became an advocate for children with learning disabilities. From the mid 60's to the 80's, she took weekly calls at home from mothers across the US seeking help for their children, when schools failed to provide assistance. With fellow mothers, and through organizations, she lobbied local, county, state, and federal agencies for funding, and legislative assistance for learning disabled children.
In the late 60's Nancy and Louis provided financing for educational movies on dyslexia, produced by an independent medical film producer, when local banks refused to finance the "risky" projects.
She was past president of CANHC, California Association for Children with Learning Disabilities, and on the national board of ACLD, Association for Children with Learning Disabilities.
She served for 20 years on the board of directors of The Stanbridge Academy, San Mateo, CA, a national recognized K-12 school for learning disabled children.
For over 25 years she helped volunteer on the stats desk at Stanford University's sports events. Nancy, along with local Kappa alums, was involved in getting the new Kappa Sorority established at Stanford University.
Nancy and Louis loved to travel. Their first overseas trip together was their honeymoon across Europe in 1949. Regular trips back to Europe, Canada and Asia followed, along with family camping trips across the western states.
She was always amused at the response of some friends as to why they didn't volunteer. A frequent response was "I'm too busy". Nancy's reply was, "you just make time."
