In April, we received additions to the Nancy Stockwell Papers (GLC 47). Stockwell was a writer and a professional golfer. Her papers contain correspondence, subject files, diaries, and draft and print copies of Stockwell’s writings. Most of the material covers the years 1975 through 1998.In 1966 Nancy graduated from the University of Kansas with a Master’s degree in Speech/Theatre. That same year she moved to Boston, Massachusetts and began her career as a writer. The unpublished novella “Lucky Girls” chronicles her early days in Boston.
In 1973 Stockwell moved to Berkeley, California where she became one of the founding mothers of the journals Plexus (1974-1977) and The Bright Medusa. It is at this time that she makes the acquaintance of members of the early lesbian-feminist movement. Her correspondents include Nancy Bereano, Sandy Boucher, Sandra Dasmann, Cynthia Gair, Barbara Grier, Bertha Harris, and Helaine Harris. There is a small amount of correspondence with such notables as: Jane Rule, Adrienne Rich, Eudora Welty, Minnie Bruce Pratt, Charlotte Bunch, and Margie Adam.
In 1977 Nancy returned to the east coast and in 1978 her book Out Somewhere and Back Again: the Kansas stories was published. Nancy is pictured (above) at the first (1979) gay and lesbian march on Washington, D.C. where she was living at the time. In 1980 she began managing the Lambda Rising Bookstore in D.C. and was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention.In 1985 she was admitted into the Ladies Professional Golf Association. Stockwell became the first female golf club professional in San Francisco at Harding/Lincoln Parks in 1987.
Nancy Stockwell was born in Paola, Kansas in 1940 and was diagnosed with bronchiectasis, a congenital pulmonary disorder, in 1951. She moved back home due to failing health in 1992 and underwent successful double lung transplant surgery in 1998. Sadly, Nancy died at the Kansas University Medical Center on March 13, 1999 due to complications from the lung transplants and immuno-suppression.The Nancy Stockwell Papers (GLC 47) are available through the San Francisco History Center, 6th floor, Main Library.
