Nancy Pettitt Martin 1948-2021

Nancy Pettitt Martin passed away at home with family beside her on August 16, 2021. Her creative, beautiful, and energetic presence was silenced by cancer. 

Nancy was born in 1948 in Berkeley, CA to George A. Pettitt and Eleanor Graves Pettitt. She earned a BA at UC Berkeley, a Masters in Fine Arts at Chico State, and a certification as a Master Cosmetologist.

Nancy designed and painted public murals and displayed her artwork at galleries over the years. She taught herself to play drums and performed in numerous Northern California bands. She also channeled her creative talents into hair design, becoming a much sought-after beautician. 

A retrospective show of her artwork was held in 2019 at her church, the Center for Spiritual Living, where she performed and served coffee with a smile and wit for over 25 years. 


Nancy was a generous spirit, making the world a more beautiful place through art, music, humor, and one head of hair at a time. She lived with passion and an open mind, seeking spiritual exploration. 

 She is survived by her two sons, Zayah Kylee Pettitt-Wood and Kyle Robert Martin; her grandson, Sarmis Lycius Pettitt-Wood; her sister Jennifer Pettitt Anderson and family; and her loving partner, Scott Taylor. 

Following the memorial service, a community celebration of Nancy’s life will be held Sept 18 starting at 3:30pm at Shady Oak Barrel House in Santa Rosa, open to all who loved her. 

3 comments:

  1. I've been out of California a while now and missed this passing and it pains me deeply. I played music with Nancy and interacted with her at the center. She was a delight and happy every time our paths crossed. My deepest condolences to her family.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've been out of California a while now and missed this passing and it pains me deeply. I played music with Nancy and interacted with her at the center. She was a delight and happy every time our paths crossed. My deepest condolences to her family.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've been out of California a while now and missed this passing and it pains me deeply. I played music with Nancy and interacted with her at the center. She was a delight and happy every time our paths crossed. My deepest condolences to her family.

    ReplyDelete