Nancy O. Daley

life story

Celebrating the Life of Nancy Ann Smith Ouradnik Daley!

Nancy O. Daley, age 94, passed away peacefully in her Mpls home on January 25, 2026, after 10+ yrs of embracing the challenge of living with metastatic breast cancer. She was born in Fargo, North Dakota on December 19, 1931, to Glenn and Doris Smith, who were living in Langdon, ND at the time. Her family’s deep North Dakota roots instilled a reverence for connections to the natural world that were evident in every aspect of her life. Nancy earned a degree in Home Economics from NDSC (now NDSU) and a degree in Sociology from the U of MN. She married Bob Ouradnik, raised their four children to be independent, careful thinkers, and maintained strong commitments to community, equality, and peace. Nancy and her 2nd husband, Carl Daley, moved to Minnesota’s North Shore in 1996, where Nancy’s passion for paper-making, book-making, and visual art took free rein. She moved back to the Twin Cities in 2017, with her faithful dog, Beatrice, where she continued to create beautiful things in her South Mpls home.

Throughout her life, she was an active member in many local arts organizations. Nancy will be remembered for her free spirit, compassion, creativity, love of travel and gardening, as well as never going without a hot cup of tea and a “biscuit” in the afternoons.

Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, Glenn S. and Doris E. Smith, a brother, Robert Paul Smith, and both husbands. Nancy is survived by her brother, Ronald G. Smith, a cousin, John Stanley, her 4 children (Jody, Steve, Mike, and Amy), 2 step-sons (John and Jim), three grandchildren (Jeremy, Madeline, and Max), and three great-granchildren (Everett, London, and Aislinn).

Memorial gifts in honor of Nancy’s life should be directed to the Grand Marais Art Colony, North House Folk School, or your favorite charity that supports the arts that may have recently lost funding due to federal cutbacks.