A Full-Throttle Life

“I am living my best life. I have joy in each and every day. Joy definitely expands time.”

— An excerpt from Nancy’s manifesto “The Joys of Cancer”

Nancy Lewis Huntsman (1954-2022) passed away on October 21, 2022, following a long battle with cancer. Nancy was an extraordinary woman of unsurpassed energy, an intrepid pilot, and someone who lived with an infectious zest for life that was felt by everyone who knew her.

Born in Oakland, California in 1954, she later moved to Crescent City, where she earned her pilot's license while still in high school. Nancy went on to the University of Utah where a chance decision her senior year led to her spending three years in Japan and developing a fluent knowledge of Japanese, as well as lifelong friendships. This followed a pattern that persisted throughout her life: wherever she went, and whatever she did, she made deep and lasting friendships along the way. After returning to the US, she earned her MBA at Columbia University before going onto a career at Citibank.

Later in life she found love and married Alonzo Blaine Huntsman Jr., with whom she had two children, Stewart and Merodean Huntsman. She continued her whirlwind life, serving on the boards of Target Bank and the Salt Lake City Airport, writing op-eds for her local paper, and traveling the world.

Late in 2019, after being diagnosed with cancer, Nancy set about pursuing her mantra of "full throttle living" and seizing every moment to the fullest. In 2021, she found love a second time and married Kenneth Hansen, with whom she enjoyed a spectacular year of travel and adventure, from the piazzas of Italy to the rolling emerald hills of Ireland.

In an inspiring display of living, she was still traveling, and enjoying concerts up in her beloved Teton Valley, Idaho, less than a month before the end. Amidst all this, she also found time to write, produce, and narrate a short documentary about her family's conservation work in Idaho, one of her lifelong passions. Her life, too large, joyful, and adventurous to be summed up in an obituary, was one lived to the absolute fullest.

Nancy is survived by her two children, Stewart and Merodean, her husband, Kenneth Hansen, her seven stepchildren, Lon, Scott, Heidi, Lisa, Beach, and Richard Huntsman, and Matthew Hansen, her mother Deaun Reilly, her brothers Jeff and Doug Lewis, her nine grandchildren, and her beloved dog Hektor.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Teton Regional Land Trust. Donations may be made online at https://tetonlandtrust.org/donate/ (you may choose "Dedicate this Donation" to donate in Nancy's name) or by mailing a check with "In Memory of Nancy Huntsman" in the notes to Teton Regional Land Trust, P.O. Box 247, Driggs, ID 83422.

“Joy in every day”


Nancy was deeply passionate about so many people, places, and experiences. Here’s a small selection of what she—and others—wrote about her life.

Nancy’s “The Joys of Cancer” manifesto

Nancy’s “Fixing Fox Creek” documentary

A remembrance of Nancy by her friend Teri Orr

Celebrate Nancy With Us

We invite you to celebrate Nancy’s intrepid, inspiring life by watching a video made in her honor, reading stories written by family and friends, or contributing a story of your own.