Nancy Ebsen Daughaday

Nancy Ebsen Daughaday passed away in the company of loved ones on May 14th just shy of her 90th birthday. She was born in Evanston, Illinois and received a BA in Theater from Vassar College and a Masters in Children?s Theater from Cal State Fullerton. She was a 1st Lieutenant in the Coast Guard in World War II, stationed in Seattle harbor. During the 1960s and 70s, she performed in the chorale groups the Larks and the Roger Wagner Chorale, directed theater for the Children’s Theater Guild of Orange County, and served as President of the international theater organization, ASSITEJ. From 1980 to 1987, Nancy ran the highly acclaimed Newport Harbor Actors Theater (NHAT). She was preceded in death by her former husband Christian Buddy Ebsen and is survived by her husband of 15 years and high school sweetheart William H. Daughaday, as well as her six children, Susannah Dustin Ebsen, Catherine Craft Ebsen, Bonnie Ebsen Jackson, Kiersten Ebsen Wallace, Dustin Wolcott Ebsen, and Alix Ebsen Abel, and her six grandchildren. Memorial services celebrating her life will be held on Friday May 23 at 2:00 PM at St. Mark Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach. To honor Nancy’s memory, we ask that you please support local live theater.