Nancy Diane Mathias, later Nancy Mathias Adair, died peacefully at Gilchrist Hospice Center in Towson on April 2, 2026. She was 74. Nancy had beaten breast cancer twice before, but it ultimately caused her death.

Nancy was born on December 18, 1951, in Honolulu, Hawaii, where her parents, Wilbur and Bette Mathias, were stationed at Hickam Air Force Base. Her parents considered naming her "Leilani" to mark the place of her birth before settling on the more conventional "Nancy Diane."

Nancy grew up as the second of seven children in Radiant Valley, Maryland. She attended primary school at St. Ambrose Catholic School in Cheverly, Maryland. In 8th grade, she was crowned as the ceremonial May Queen during the traditional St. Ambrose celebration of the Virgin Mary.

She graduated from Elizabeth Seton Catholic High School in Bladensburg, Maryland in 1969. Three and a half years later, in 1972, she graduated from the University of Maryland in College Park, majoring in Radio, Television, & Film. She was a member of the Kappa Delta sorority. Nancy graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 1979 and joined the Maryland Bar.

Nancy practiced law in Prince George's County and Baltimore, Maryland, for many years, focusing on real estate and property matters. In later years, after suffering some health setbacks, Nancy became a legal secretary for a more predictable pace of life where her legal talents and impressive technology and typing skills were put to good use. Nancy lived most of her adult life in Baltimore City and Towson, Maryland.

Nancy was a meteor, flashing brilliantly as she streaked across the sky. Whip smart and clever, with a ready laugh, she was a beautiful young woman who could be exciting, fun, and the life of the party. She lived, she loved, and she was loved. In time, Nancy also experienced more than her fair share of disappointments, heartbreaks, and health challenges.

When her shooting star faltered, she worked hard to build a more grounded existence. She discovered Randy O'Brien, who became her rock, her steady companion, and the love of her life for the past 30+ years. Life as an earthbound meteorite was quieter, more stable, in many ways smaller. She and Randy were blessings to one another. They laughed often and shared similar sensibilities. Nancy and Randy enjoyed their season subscriptions at Baltimore's Center Stage. Throughout her life, Nancy was a voracious reader and remained curious about the world.

Nancy's bright light in this "second act" shone best in her time with Randy and in her kindnesses to family and friends. She bought gifts for family members to show she was thinking of them. She enjoyed family gatherings, especially crab feasts. And she and Randy helped care for her parents later in their lives. They regularly took Bette to her favorite hairdresser (some considerable distance from her home), and they drove her to doctor appointments. These journeys often included a shopping trip for essentials or prescriptions as well, and they frequently resulted in humorous stories that Nancy and Randy enjoyed retelling for the family's good-natured enjoyment.

In a big family, everyone finds their special niche. Decades ago, Nancy created "The List," a compilation of names, current addresses, contact information, and places of employment for our family members. She also included all of the family's children and grandchildren. In time, she added birthdays and significant anniversaries to "The List." As the large family grew and moved around, "The List" required frequent amendment and updating. Nancy embraced this responsibility. An invaluable service, it was Nancy's way of helping the family forge and maintain strong bonds. Something that began with the simple act of typing mundane (but essential) information has become an important piece of her family legacy. Nancy's entire family hopes she understood how much her efforts were appreciated and relied upon to keep everyone connected.

Nancy loved angels, a widely known but largely unexplained affection, as she was not particularly religious in any traditional sense. Angels became her North Star, her compass, and they seemed to bring her comfort, escorting her to the very end. Nancy's mother Bette, who was a devout Catholic her entire life, might have gleaned some positive message from the fact that Nancy died on the Thursday of Holy Week, a spiritual time of death and then renewal.

Nancy Mathias Adair is survived by her longtime partner, Randy O'Brien, and his daughter Claire, by her six siblings, Jeanne (Clements) of Windermere, Florida and Los Angeles, California, John and his partner Carrie Steele-Loy of Frederick, Maryland, Bob and his wife Susan of Stuart, Florida, Patty Mathias (NaPier) and her husband Brad of Honolulu, Hawaii, Jim and his wife Kathy of New London, New Hampshire, and Bill and his wife Lisa of Stoneleigh, Maryland, by fifteen nieces and nephews, and by sixteen great nieces and nephews – all captured with loving precision in Nancy's "List."