Resident of San Jose

Nancy Ann Hardgrave Shelly passed away in San Jose, California on February 6th, 2025, at 94 ¾ years of age. In this long and well-led life Nan (as most knew her) was horsewoman, physical therapist, Religious Science minister, wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

She was an active friend, a caring counselor, a mountain lover, and a dedicated gardener.

Nan was born and raised in San Francisco, California.

Her father Dr. Lloyd Elliott Hardgrave was a well-known pediatrician and a UCSF professor. Her mother, Kathryn Chesnutt Hardgrave had been a surgical nurse before she married and was happy to teach first aid during World WarII.

Nan attended Laguna Honda Elementary School kindergarten thru 8th grade. She was chosen as a contestant in the national radio show “Quiz Kids” to represent San Francisco. She graduated from Lowell High School in 1947 where she had served as vice president of the student body. She made many friends and maintained those friendships throughout her life. She attended UC Berkeley studying physical therapy. There she joined the Delta Gamma Sorority, enjoyed numerous activities and made lifelong friends.

She was a horse lover all her life, belonging to a riding club where she spent happy times riding through Golden Gate Park. She spent many idyllic summers in Taylorsville, CA at the Hardgrave Dairy Ranch, Bar None; participating in barrel racing and branding cattle.

In 1951 Nan's cousin, Bette Jordan of San Jose, set Nan up on a blind date where she met her future husband Michael Bruce Shelly of Sparks, Nevada. The two corresponded via letters while Bruce was stationed in Okinawa.

They were married on June 14th, 1953, and left on a cross-country honeymoon driving in a Studebaker convertible to a new exciting life in Washington DC, where Bruce worked for Nevada Congressman Cliff Young (wife Jane). Jane took Nan to congressional wife functions. Nan loved to share the stories of being in the chamber of Congress listening to the Joe McCarthy hearings and just barely missing the shootings on the Congress floor by Puerto Rican Nationalists.

In 1956 Nan and Bruce settled in Reno-Sparks, Nevada where they supported Bruce's family running the Sparks Tribune. Nan focused on looking after her young son and daughter but was an integral part of meeting print deadlines.

Several years later, Bruce and Nancy moved to Southern California to realize Bruce's dream of being a television writer. There they settled in San Pedro, CA where Bruce had found a job in advertising.

Nan got involved with the San Pedro Presbyterian church, conducting weekly prayer groups for the Terminal Island Women’s prison. She was Co-founder with Dorothy Hoffman of the Hoffman House, a halfway house for women released from the prison. Bruce and Nan were actively involved in the San Pedro Fisherman's Fiesta. As a family, they spent many weeks during the summer in Taylorsville enjoying the Sierra mountains.

Nan and Bruce moved to the San Fernando Valley in 1967 after Nan researched tirelessly to find the best public schools for each of her three children and a commutable location for all the places Bruce might ultimately find work. Their Sherman Oaks home on Davana Terrace was a lively gathering place filled with joy and many special events, such as older son Scott’s band practices, an annual all day Christmas open house, and wedding celebrations for their children.

The family joined the North Hollywood Church of Religious Science. Nan attended classes and sermons. Always deeply spiritual, Nan studied at the Church of Religious Science School of Ministry in 1975. She was assistant minister at the Seal Beach Church of Religious Science and minister at the Reno Center for Spiritual Living.

She did counseling, guest sermons, funerals, and marriages throughout California and Nevada.

Bruce and Nan took 8 trips to Australia to visit son Scott’s family and granddaughter Basia. They traveled to Rome with friends Doug and Jeanne Curtis, while Doug was producing a movie. Nan and Bruce stayed in a villa with Doug and Jeanne, visiting many tourist spots.

The couple purchased their Lake Almanor house in 1975, enjoying the spectacular views of Mt. Lassen, making new friends, and reconnecting with Nan’s nearby Taylorsville and mountain relatives. They moved to Los Gatos, California in 1995 where Nan enjoyed many happy times with her cousins and her bridge group at Rinconada Hills.

Nan is survived by her husband of 71 years Michael Bruce Shelly, her oldest son Scott Lloyd Shelly (wife Brenda), daughter Anne Shelly Baumgarten (husband John), and youngest son Reed Carl Shelly (wife Ellen).

Nan has five grandchildren: Lowen Shelly Baumgarten (wife Kristina Backstrom) Austin Baumgarten, Katie Shelly, Maeve Shelly, and Basha Shelly. Nan was blessed to have met her great-granddaughter Lila in September 2024 A memorial service for Nan will be held on Sunday, March 16th, at Saratoga Federated Church, Saratoga CA, at 2pm in the Chapel.