Nan Rees passed away at her home in Santa Fe, NM in the early morning hours of Friday May,18, following a short illness. She is survived and celebrated by her beloved husband of 63 years, our co-founder, Thomas D. Rees, M.D.; her children Thomas Jr. of Los Angeles and AMREF USA Board Member Elizabeth of New York City; as well as her brother C.V. "Major" Bowes of Big Moose, NY.
In 1957, Nan helped Tom co-found the Flying Doctors of East Africa, a division of what is now AMREF. Nan travelled back with him almost every year since, because she cared passionately about the people of Africa. She worked tirelessly for AMREF and Africa in many ways: through her ideas, her fundraising, and by promoting AMREF’s work at every opportunity. Her enthusiasm for our cause was contagious.
Nan and Tom in Nairobi Nan in Vogue, 1952 Nan with Tom and Board Members Christine Grogan, Bob Lilley and Bruce Bodner
Along with AMREF, Nan had many interests. She was a student of the arts at Bennington College and The Art Students League of New York. She married Tom in 1949 and joined the fledging Ford Models while he was training for and launching his career in reconstructive surgery. Nan also served on the Women’s Committee of the American Museum of Natural History, and as a docent in the Akeley Hall of African Mammals. Nan was a talented artist, an avid birder, gardener, fly-fisher and reader. Nan and Tom traveled extensively. The couple lived in New York City and Quogue, NY, before they retired to Santa Fe, NM nearly 22 years ago.
We will miss her tremendously.
At her family's request, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to AMREF USA.
