Nancy Ellen Ann Thomas was born on April 24, 1962 in Berkeley, California to Barry Thomas and Margaret Pekar Thomas. She was a graduate of Ohio University with a Bachelor of Arts in Special Education. She was special education teacher for almost 40 years at Wirt County Middle School in West Virginia. Nancy enjoyed crafts, gardening, collecting dolls, flamingos and Jimmy Buffet. Nancy passed on March 20, 2021.

Barry and Jean Thomas established the Nancy Ellen Thomas Memorial Fund to honor her life and career. The fund will provide support to individuals with disabilities and to programs supporting individuals with disabilities throughout the Foundation's service area, with preference to Wirt County. The Fund will also annually recognize a special education teacher/aid at Wirt County Schools for their hard work, dedication, and passion for teaching and working with individuals with disabilities.