Mpls, MN - Nancy Newman Eustis passed away on March 4, 2026, at the age of 84. Born on May 30, 1941, in Michigan, Nancy led a distinguished life marked by her immense contributions to public policy, gerontology, and the advocacy for consumer-directed care. Over the years, she made her home in both Minneapolis and Frontenac, Minnesota.

An esteemed academic, Nancy enjoyed a long and impactful career at the University of Minnesota, retiring as a Professor Emerita at the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs in 2010. She took on significant leadership responsibilities at the Humphrey Institute, serving as Associate Dean, Interim Associate Dean, and Director of Graduate Studies for multiple master's degree programs between 1997 and 2005. During her tenure, she taught courses in social policy and evaluation research, served on the university's gerontology faculty, and held affiliations with the Department of Sociology and the School of Public Health. Her academic focus centered on health care and personal assistance services for older individuals and people with disabilities, consistently championing the importance of consumer-directed long-term services. Her dedication to the field led to her being named deputy director of the University of Minnesota Center on Aging in 1996, and she also served as co-chair of the All-University Council on Aging.

Her expertise and influence reached far beyond the classroom. From 1994 to 1995, Nancy served in Washington, D.C., as a special assistant in disability, aging, and long-term care policy within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. She was a prolific scholar, serving as the senior author of Long-Term Care for the Elderly: A Policy Perspective and co-editor of Seeking Common Ground: Aging and Disabilities. Throughout her career, her exceptional work earned her numerous accolades, including the Public Leadership Award from the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs and awards for outstanding achievement from both the Minnesota Gerontological Society and Ohio Wesleyan University.

Nancy's resilience and dedication to others were truly remarkable. Following a spinal cord injury from a car accident in 1981, she navigated the world in a wheelchair but remained fiercely independent and deeply engaged. A resident of The Kenwood living facility in Minneapolis since 1997, she generously shared her talents by serving as president of the Residents Council, leading discussions on current events, and organizing writing classes. Her profound commitment to giving back earned her the title of "Volunteer of the Year" in April 2024, with those who knew her describing her as a delightful presence who constantly looked out for the betterment of her community and the welfare of her family.

After her husband Warren's death in 1988, she became the matriarch of her extended family, offering love and care to her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, brother, and three generations of nieces and nephews. She hosted and presided over the Eustis/Frankel/Newman annual summer reunion at the family seat in Frontenac, Minnesota. Her stewardship over the last four decades gave the family the space and strength to forge and maintain deep connections; it is no exaggeration to say the family exists today because of her attention and care. Along with her closest friend, Cynthia Jorgenson, and her beloved live-in health aide, Angie Ateba, we all thrived because of her love.

Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, Harold Edwin Newman and Rosalyn Esther Wones; her beloved husband, Warren Penhall Eustis; her step-granddaughter, Maggie Croud; and her step-grandson, John (Jack) Eustis.

She is survived by her brother, John Newman; her son, Soren Eustis, and his partner, Sara Cashman; her stepson, Oskar (Paul) Eustis, and his wife, Laurie Eustis; her stepdaughter, Lillian (Lili) Eustis; her granddaughter, Isla Eustis; her step-granddaughters, Sarah Croud and Kyle Brown; and her step great-granddaughter, Noelani Croud.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM on May 10, 2026, at the First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis (900 Mt Curve Ave). A second memorial service and burial will take place on July 18, 2026, at Christ Episcopal Church in Old Frontenac, Minnesota.