What Do a Purple Zebra, Rotary, the Holocaust, and VPC Have in Common? Meet Nancy Wright Beasley

By Terry Haycock, who conducted this interview in February

Photos Left to Right: Nancy in her purple Rotarian shirt; Nancy’s book; and Nancy with Patrician and Pete Low at a recent showing of the Saving Sara, a film based on Nancy’s book. The Lows are relatives of Neil and Sara Belle November, the subjects of the book and film.

When I first saw Nancy Wright Beasley, she was at a podium introducing the outstanding play Saving Sara, written by Nancy and friend Una Harrison and based on Nancy’s book The Little Lion. Dressed in white slacks and top, she spoke with a passion and dynamism that matched her brilliant geometric jewel-toned jacket. I looked forward to our interview the following week.

A Virginia native, born in Radford and raised in Christianburg, Nancy came from a close family whose father was illiterate and whose mother had only a sixth-grade education. Her parents asked their four offspring two questions: “Where are you going to college and how are you going to pay for it?” Nancy says her parents did help, but she and her siblings had the majority of the responsibility for their education. After meeting her future husband at Chowan Junior College in Murfreesboro, NC, marrying and having two sons, Nancy received her bachelor’s degree from Virginia State University in 1979 and a master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Mass Communication in 2000. She went on to earn an MFA in Children’s Literature from Hollins University in 2011 at the age of 66. Ask her what her dad said when she wanted to know what he planned to give her for a graduation present. I couldn’t begin to do the story justice.

Two of Nancy’s published books, The Little Lion: A Hero in the Holocaust (mentioned above) and Izzy’s Fire: Finding Humanity in the Holocaust, were written after many years of Nancy telling herself she couldn’t write about such an evil topic. But Gwen Woolf, a longtime friend and VPC member, was the impetus for writing about the Holocaust. It’s writing she has continued for more than 20 years. Izzy’s Fire tells how a Catholic family saves 13 Jews during the Holocaust in Lithuania. The Little Lion tells the story of how Sara Gillman, a Jewish child, was saved by her teenage uncle from almost certain death in the Kovno Ghetto, located in Kaunas, Lithuania. In addition to publishing success, Nancy developed a love for Lithuania. She has traveled there five times and to Israel twice to do research for her books. She has also spoken in Germany about her work and is scheduled to return again for a presentation in May 2020.

Nancy’s travels have also taken her throughout the US speaking at Rotary clubs with special emphasis on her experience as a polio survivor. An avid Rotarian, Nancy donned a purple Rotary polo shirt for our interview at a local Panera. I don’t remember what I had for lunch because she is such a fascinating story teller that I was totally engrossed, and I didn’t even take many notes! Rotary has taken her many places physically and emotionally, and her stories are poignant as well as entertaining. What always comes through is her passionate commitment to others throughout the world.

Another question to ask Nancy is how Rotary and NFPW converged in Illinois at the NFPW national conference. She joined VPW (now VPC) almost 40 years ago after being invited to do so by Katherine Calos. Both of them worked for The Richmond News Leader at the time. In 2006, she was named the Communicator of the Year by VPW. That year she was also named one of the Ten Outstanding Women in Central Virginia by the Richmond YWCA. Izzy’s Fire was nominated for a People’s Choice Award by the Library of Virginia in 2005, and since that same year, the Virginia Holocaust Museum in Richmond has had a continuing exhibit that recreates the story that includes 13 members of five Jewish families. In 2015, VCU named her a Monroe Scholar. In 2016, Brandermill Rotary named her the Rotarian of the Year.

As well as being a book author, Nancy earned her journalism credentials as a state correspondent for the Richmond News Leader from 1979 to 1986. Her third book, Reflections of a Purple Zebra: Essays of a Different Stripe, is a collection of 60 of her columns originally published in Richmond Magazine where the column ran from 1998 to 2014. Just the title is indicative of her colorful creativity.

You can learn more about Nancy at her website: nancywrightbeasley.com. Better yet, look for her at the Spring Conference and try to get some time with her. She is modest, funny, wise, and entertaining. What more could you ask for?