Nancy Buckley of Newton, MA (formerly of Westwood, MA) passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her family, on April 30, 2026. She was 79 years old.
Born and raised in Jamaica Plain, Nancy was the cherished daughter of Byron A. Aldridge and Mary T. (Diggins) Aldridge. She graduated from Catherine Labouré School of Nursing and went on to build a career she was deeply proud of at Brigham and Women's Hospital, where her natural gift for caring for others found its fullest expression.
That same gift — for love, connection, for making people feel good — she brought home every day. Nancy fell in love with John Buckley, and together they built a life rooted in family, compassion, and an unwavering faith. She stepped away from nursing to raise their four children, a role she embraced wholeheartedly and with grace.
Nancy poured herself into the community with the same energy and warmth she gave her family. She served as President of both the Garden Club and the League of Women Voters, was a dedicated Scout leader, and was an active member of the Junior Guild. She volunteered tirelessly at organizations like Catholic Charities —through their annual holiday giving program for families in need, FISH, St. Francis House, and the Jimmy Fund, where she offered comfort and support to families of children undergoing cancer treatment.
Outside of her volunteer work, Nancy was an avid walker, artisan, gardener and chef. She could be found nearly every weekday morning walking the track at Westwood High School with her cherished circle of friends — a ritual that reflected both her love of people and her deep sense of community. She enjoyed creating ceramic works of art and making holiday decorations. She loved gardening and seeing her beautiful flowers bloom. Nancy was also a fantastic home cook and loved to make everything from scratch. Her repertoire included chicken pot pie, beef stew, lemon meringue pie, cheese tarts, and sour cream coffee cake to name just a few.
Nancy was a member of Woodland Golf Club where she and her family made so many happy memories. She loved playing tennis, watching her children compete on the swim team, and play in the pool. She made so many treasured friendships at Woodland.
Affectionately known to most as "Nana," Nancy had the biggest heart, a wonderful sense of humor, and a rare gift for making everyone she met feel like a true friend. Her greatest joy in life was the family she and John created and raised together as well as her precious grandchildren.
Nancy is survived by her devoted husband, John Buckley; her children Kerry Kaufmann and her husband Matthew of Wayland, Denise Ali and her husband Matthew of Wayland, Marlene Shea and her husband Kevin of Milton, and John Buckley and his wife Nicole of Westwood; and her beloved grandchildren John, Thomas, Kelsey, Charlie, Caitlin, Leo, Jack, and Olivia. She is also survived by her dear brother Billy Aldridge and his wife Elizabeth of Walpole; her sisters-in-law and brother-in-law Gerald and Candice Buckley of Duxbury and Sue Buckley of Medfield; and sixteen beloved nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her sister Geraldine Cash and her husband Walter; her sister Kathy McDonough and her husband Emmett; her brother Bobby Aldridge; and her brothers-in-law Stephen and Kevin Buckley — all of whom she held close in her heart and missed dearly.
Nancy Buckley leaves behind a legacy of compassion, community, and unconditional love. She touched the lives of everyone she encountered, and the warmth she gave so generously will be felt for generations to come.
Visiting Hours in the William J. Gormley Funeral Home, 2055 Centre St., West Roxbury on Thursday May 7th from 4:00pm to 7:00pm. Funeral will take place from the funeral home on Friday, May 8th at 10:30am. Followed by a Funeral Mass at 11:30am in St. Theresa of Avila Parish at 2078 Centre Street in West Roxbury. To live stream the Funeral Mass, please visit www.sttheresaparishboston.com www.sttheresaparishboston.com.
Donations may be made in lieu of flowers to Catholic Charities, 275 West Broadway, Boston, MA 02127 or at https://www.ccab.org/ https://www.ccab.org/