Nan Coughlin (1938–2022)

nan coughlin at the 2017 burleith picnic.

Longtime Burleith resident Mary Annette “Nan” Coughlin died peacefully at home on September 9, 2022. She was 83 years old.  

As daughter of a Navy Admiral and diplomat, Nan was instilled with a lifelong love for culture, languages, and travel. During her childhood and married life, she lived, among other places, in Honolulu, Cannes (France), Alhos d’Agua (Portugal), Caracas, Brussels, and London.

After Nan moved to Washington in 1989, she maintained her cultural and international interests. She volunteered as a docent at Tudor Place and in the conservation lab at the National Museum of African Art. She was a member of the Capital Speakers Club and actively participated in The Hospitality and Information Service (THIS) for Diplomats.

She was an avid practitioner of Tai Chi for many years and a curious and eclectic reader. She was an elegant and warm hostess, and above all, a loving and generous mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend. 

Nan is survived by her sister as well as her four children; seven grandchildren and two step grandchildren; a great grandson; and many nieces and nephews.