• Courtesy
• Rev. Dr. Nancy Hester Bloomer

The Rev. Dr. Nancy Hester Bloomer, 84, of Essex Junction, Vt., died peacefully on April 3, 2024. She was born on June 13, 1939, in Binghamton, N.Y. She was the daughter of Ruth (Hester) Bloomer and Ronald Bloomer.

Nancy is survived by her daughters, Carol Farley (Mike) and Sarah Vogelsang-Card (Jay), along with her three grandchildren, Eliza Farley, Alex Farley and Zarek Vogelsang-Card. She is also survived by her sister, Susan Rice, and her beloved dog, Zoey. She was preceded in death by her brother, Peter Bloomer.

Nancy graduated from Buffalo Seminary in Buffalo, N.Y., which she credited with sparking her passion for learning and where she made some of her most enduring friendships. She attended Sweet Briar College and obtained her BA, MA and PhD in English from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Later in her career, Nancy moved with her family to New York City and earned her master of divinity from the General Theological Seminary. She was ordained as an Episcopal priest in 1987. Over the years, she served at several parishes in Vermont and New York and taught English at local colleges in the Burlington area.

Nancy was a gifted writer, particularly of poetry, a talented preacher and a caring teacher. She was intellectually curious, and it would not have been unusual to find her reading and discussing German Romantic writers with one friend, the latest bestseller with another and Harry Potter with her grandson. Over the years, she studied Greek, Latin, Hebrew and German
for linguistic enrichment. She loved music and played the piano and the organ. She enjoyed nature in all forms, found solace in meditation and derived great joy in her garden. Nancy was an artist who designed beautiful quilts and often gave them as presents, using her recipients’ favorite colors and styles. She also taught her grandchildren to knit and sew. Nancy loved animals, and throughout her adult life she always had a faithful canine companion by her side.

A memorial service will be held on June 14, 11 a.m., at St. James Episcopal Church in Essex Junction.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Friends of Silence (friendsofsilence.net) or the National Wildlife Federation (nwf.org).

To send the family personal condolences, please visit sheafuneralhomes.com.