SALISBURY — Nancy Ludlow Tuckerman, a longtime Salisbury resident and formerly of New York City, died peacefully at Noble Horizons in Salisbury. She was 89 years of age.
Tuckerman was working at a travel agency in Manhattan when her former classmate and roommate, Jacqueline (Bouvier) Kennedy, appointed her White House Social Secretary in 1963.
After President Kennedy’s assassination, Tuckerman returned to New York City and managed an office on Park Avenue, where she and a small staff of volunteers opened and responded to thousands of condolence letters sent to Mrs. Kennedy from a grieving public.
During Mrs. Kennedy’s second marriage, to Aristotle Onassis, Tuckerman went to work for him as the publicity director for Olympic Airways. In 1971, with the airline’s sponsorship, she helped initiate the first New York City Marathon, which included women.
Several years later she joined Doubleday. She worked in publicity and in 1990 wrote “In the Tiffany Style: Gift-giving For All Occasions.”
In 1995, she co-authored a new version of “The Amy Vanderbilt Complete Book of Etiquette.”
Upon retiring from Doubleday, she moved to Salisbury. There she volunteered for the Trustees of Reservations and spent happy hours at Bartholomew’s Cobble. She also volunteered at the Housatonic Child Care Center.
Nancy is survived by her nieces, Phyllis Gay Palmer, Natalie Tuckerman and Katharine (Tuckerman) Czarnocki; her nephews, John Gay and Oliver Wolcott Tuckerman; her great-nieces, Ruby Palmer, Angela Hearst Wade, Skyler Tuckerman and Edie Czarnocki; her great-nephews, Ethan Palmer and Sebastian Tuckerman; her great-great-nephew and -nieces Léo and Mayu Palmer and Frances and June Nathan.
A memorial service will be held at the Congregational Church of Salisbury on Saturday, Aug. 25, at 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Trustees of Reservations, 200 High St., Boston, MA 02110; or the Housatonic Child Care Center, 30 Salmon Kill Road, Salisbury, CT 06068.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
