Former MacDowell director Nancy Englander died last week at the age of 78.

Englander served as director at MacDowell from 1977 to 1981, during which time she oversaw the stays of artists and writers the likes of Mary Higgins Clark, Miyoko Ito and Loudon Wainwright, among many others. She also served as the head of museum programs for the National Endowment for the Humanities before moving on to the J. Paul Getty Trust in Los Angeles, where she helped plan, expand and curate the now-world famous Getty Museum. 

“She really valued her time [at MacDowell],” said her son Derek Magyar, who was born while Englander was still serving as director. “In some ways, it was one of the most-meaningful jobs that she had, because being there she spent time with artists of that caliber. Once she left MacDowell, it was less about the art and artists and more about creating the spaces for them… . It was one of the most-special and unique jobs, and I think she really loved it and it helped it shape her. I think she felt a huge reverence and love and tie to [MacDowell].”

At MacDowell, Englander stayed at Hillcrest, the same big yellow house where founders Edward and Marian MacDowell lived, throwing picnics for the fellows and helping steer the arts organization’s fundraising efforts. 

“They were having a hard time money-wise when she came on, and she got things going with donations and so forth,” said Ann Allison, who was housekeeper at MacDowell during Englander’s tenure. “She was a wonderful boss. She was a stickler for getting things done correctly, wanted to know everything,  to have things run smooth.”

To some, Englander cut an imposing figure, strolling the grounds with her Doberman Gemini.

“Nancy Englander is a bit intimidating,” wrote MacDowell Fellow and author Richard Grayson in a diary chronicling his 1980 stay in Peterborough. “Having those Dobermans around her sort of reinforces her image – but I managed to go up and tell her how productive and enjoyable my stay here has been.”

But those who got to know her found she was as driven by family and fun as she was committed to her tireless efforts of arts patronage. 

“She was always up for a good joke and an Oreo cookie,” said Yvette Brinkley, the family’s former nanny who met Englander and her young son in Peterborough before packing up and moving out to California with them and traveling the world as Englander sought insight and artwork for the burgeoning Getty Museum. Englander visited nearly every modern museum in the world with Brinkley and Magyar tagging along around Europe as she researched. Englander and her late husband Harold Williams were the first recipients of the J. Paul Getty Medal in 2013, honoring their efforts in creating the modern Getty Museum.  

“She was strict and she was very focused on work, but she always made sure they had time for family things like soccer and T-ball and going out for ice cream,” Brinkley said. “Derek didn’t miss out on any of those things. She was family oriented.”

Now a filmmaker and actor, Magyar said his mother’s influence has helped steer him both in the artistic world and in his family life.

“I’ve been raised with an appreciation of the arts since I was a child,” Magyar said. “She was a huge supporter of the arts. She was one of the most-thoughtful, selfless, beautiful human beings ever, and I’m thankful not just to have her as my mother. I’m in the process of becoming a father and if it wasn’t for her, I don’t think I’d be the father I’m planning on being.”

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