The Wilson College community mourns the passing of Trustee Emerita Nancy Adams Besch ’48, ’89 LHD, who died on August 13, 2025, at 98. A lifelong advocate for education, civic engagement, and volunteerism, her life was an extraordinary commitment to service to her community and her alma mater.
A Lancaster native, Besch earned a degree in psychology with a minor in mathematics from Wilson in 1948. She and her husband, Earl, settled in Camp Hill Borough, where they raised four children and she built a distinguished public service career. She held leadership roles on the Camp Hill School Board, Borough Council, and as Cumberland County Commissioner. She became a founding member of the Camp Hill Lion Foundation, dedicated to serving the area school district, and served as president of the Hemlock Girl Scout Council. At the state level, she received an appointment to the Pennsylvania State Board of Psychology and was named a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania in 1997.
Besch remained deeply connected to Wilson College throughout her life, leading regional alumnae clubs and serving in multiple roles on the Alumnae Association board, including president/ex officio trustee in the 1970s. In 1979, she became chair of the Save Wilson Campaign to prevent the College’s closure, then joined the Wilson Board of Trustees and served as vice chair (1979-1982) and chair (1982-1988).
During her County Commissioner campaign, Besch teamed up with attorney J. Wesley Oler—also involved in the Save Wilson effort—who was running for Cumberland County Judge. Reflecting on their joint campaign in a 1992 Alumnae Quarterly, she said, “He and I ran together, campaigned together, and went on the ‘road show’ to address the issues. Since we were both successful, it was very special.” Over the years, Besch received recognition for her enduring dedication to Wilson. The Alumni Association awarded her the Distinguished Alumnae Award (1989) and the Tift Award (2018). The College presented her with an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters (1989), and the Board of Trustees named her Trustee Emerita in 1992, which is the highest honor the Board can bestow. Most recently, through a generous donation by Trustee Emerita Susan Breakefield Fulton ’61, the Wilson College Office of the Chaplain was named in honor of Besch and the late Trustee Emerita Elisabeth “Nan” Hudnut Clarkson ’47. Besch’s family ties to Wilson also include her sister Barbara Adams Herman ’61, daughters Kathy Besch Hamilton ’73 and Diane Besch Gombocz ’87, and grandson Mark Hamilton TIP (Teacher Intern Program) Completer ’09.
