Obituary: Nancy Adilman Gallant

Nancy Adilman Gallant passed away on Monday, Oct. 30, at the second home she designed and adored in Stockbridge, Mass.

Nancy was born on April 11th, 1944. in Savannah, Ga., as the first child of Michael and Leah Adilman. She went to Jenkins and upon graduation went on to Syracuse University. After one year and freezing cold temperatures, she transferred to Toby Coburn in New York City to study fashion design and lived at the Barbizon Hotel.

Shortly after moving to Boston, she met the love of her life, Steven Gallant. He was attending dental school at Harvard and lived upstairs. They then moved south to make a beautiful life together, with Steven opening his dental practice as Nancy became the youngest buyer in the history of Federated Stores, out of what were Rich’s department stores.

In 1979, Steven and Nancy welcomed their only child, Maggie, into the world. As Nancy watched Maggie in her ballet class, she had the idea to build a children’s museum in Atlanta. In 1988, doors opened and to this day children come from all over to learn and play.

As Maggie grew up, Nancy ensured the success of Steven’s dental practice and she spent days and nights volunteering at Westminster, serving as the proud “Drama Mama” for many years. When Maggie married Jason Isenberg, who had two children, Jacob and Ava, she embraced them as her own. Then a year later, her granddaughter, Lucy Blair Isenberg, named for Nancy’s mother, made her debut. Nancy loved her as she said all the time – “more than life itself.”

Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, Michael and Leah Adilman, and her sister-in-law, Esta Kornfield. She is survived by her devoted husband, Steven Gallant, her daughter, Maggie Isenberg, and son-in-law, Jason Isenberg, grandchildren, Jacob, Ava, and Lucy Blair Isenberg, her sister, Maxine Perlman, brother-in-law, John Perlman, brother, Roy Adilman and sister-in-law, Phyllis Adilman, as well as nieces, Laura Adilman, Marci, her husband, Matt Nachtsheim, her great-nephew, Westley Nachtsheim, Betsy Perlman, Madeleine Kornfield, her husband, Travis Burdick, and nephews, Sam Perlman and Sam Kornfield.

A graveside service was held at Arlington Memorial Park at 10 am on Friday, Nov. 3. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The Davis Academy and The Temple. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

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