November 06, 1932 – December 03, 2021
Nathalie Elizabeth (Johnson) Nordstrand, a longtime resident of Reading, passed away on December 3, 2021, at Brightview Assisted Living in North Andover. She was 89 years of age. Nathalie was born in Woburn, Massachusetts on November 6, 1932, the daughter of the late Edward N. and Ruth J. (Peterson) Johnson.
Nathalie was the beloved wife of the late Robert I. Nordstrand whom she married in 1963. She was the cherished sister of Geraldine Bunker and her husband James of Ipswich and the late Marcia Gaudette of Canton. She was the loving aunt of Steven Bunker and his wife Meredith of Topsfield, Elizabeth Griggs, and her husband Brian of Lafayette, CA, and David Bunker of Boxford. She is also survived by 8 loving great-nephews and a great-niece.
Nathalie attended Reading schools and graduated from Reading High School in 1950. She earned a degree from Bradford Jr. College, followed by BA from Barnard College and Columbia University in New York City in 1954. Nathalie took courses in the history of art and studied painting under many professional artists. For ten years she was employed in gerontological research at the Age Center of New England in Boston. Nathalie opened her own gallery, Nordstrand Gallery in Rockport which she operated for over 30 years.
A “Massachusetts Artist”, Nathalie is known throughout the country for her impressionistic interpretations of classic New England scenes. Cape Ann, Rockport, and the Gloucester regions were her inspiration for many of her pieces of artwork. Nathalie was a recipient of over 160 awards and was the first woman to win an award in the 102-year history of New York’s prestigious Salmagundi Club for her work. She was a member of American Water Color Society, New England Water Color Society, the Guild of Boston Artist, Oil Painters of America, Allied Artist of America, North Shore Art Association in Gloucester, Rockport Art Association, and the Reading Art Association of which she was a founding member. She has her biography listed in Who’s Who of American Women and Who’s Who in American Art. Her work has been collected by more than 900 private and corporate collectors and has been exhibited in many museums, colleges, galleries, and associations. Nathalie was also a member of the Old South United Methodist Church of Reading for over 75 years.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, December 11 at the Old South United Methodist Church, 6 Salem St., Reading at 11 am. Masks must be worn, please. The burial was private and there are no visiting hours.
Contributions may be made to the Old South United Methodist Church, 6 Salem St., Reading, MA 01867, or to the Reading Public Library, 64 Middlesex Ave., Reading, MA 01867.
