Nancy Wright Gilbertson passed away Jan. 2, 2026, following a brief but valiant battle with cancer. She was 78.
Born in Mount Holly, she was the daughter of Harry and Eleanor Wright and grew up in Upper Freehold Township. Nancy earned a Bachelor of Science in education from Trenton State College and later received a master’s degree in education from Rider College. She taught for several years at New Egypt Elementary School.
Nancy left the field of education to attend the University of Miami School of Law, from which she graduated. She then clerked for Judge Alvin Milberg in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Monmouth County. Thereafter, she joined the law firm of Bathgate, Wegener & Wolf in Lakewood, where she became a respected and valued partner.
As she neared retirement, Nancy returned to education, serving as a guidance counselor at Steinert High School in Hamilton.
One of the things Nancy loved most was being outdoors, embraced by nature – in the woods, out in open fields or on the sea. She found great joy anywhere she could observe birds, animals and fish.
Two places held a particularly special place in her heart: creating and working in her garden at her beloved home in Carrot Bay, Tortola, and the sands of Anegada, where she first witnessed the unforgettable “green flash” on the horizon at sunset, her feet firmly planted in the sand.
Nancy was a big sports fan, especially of the Yankees. Her love of baseball sprang from her ancestry. Her great-grandfather and great-uncle, Harry and George Wright, are enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
She is survived by her loving husband of 20 years, Francis (“Hank”) Gilbertson; her sisters, Patricia Gale of Cream Ridge and Barbara McEvoy of Upper Freehold Township; her brother-in-law Mark Gilbertson; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Throughout her life, Nancy was known for fighting to the finish for what she believed in. She will be greatly missed.
A memorial visitation was held Jan. 16 at Thompson Memorial Home, Red Bank. Donations in Nancy’s memory may be made to the Audubon Society or the American Cancer Society.
The article originally appeared in the January 29 – February 4, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
