Nancy S. Gilbert

Nancy "Nan" Sue Gilbert, age 84, passed away peacefully at her home in Madison, Wisconsin, on June 23, 2025. She was born on August 29, 1940, in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Seymour George Gilbert and Rita Irma Smallheiser Gilbert.

Nancy took after her mother in many ways – free-spirited, adventurous, and passionate about the arts, especially the performing arts, and most especially, dance. She began dance lessons as a child, and that love for movement stayed with her throughout her life. She spent her childhood in Gainesville, Florida, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, before moving to Madison to attend college. In 1964, she earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in dance education with a minor in speech and drama.

During her college years, she met and married Kent McLaughlin. She and Kent had two sons, Kirk and Rodd, whom she loved deeply and was incredibly proud of.

Nan pursued her love for the arts by choreographing and directing productions for the Madison Theatre Guild, Madison Civic Repertory Theatre, the Mt. Horeb Song of Norway Festival, Oakwood Encore, and numerous middle and high school musicals throughout the Madison area.

In 1976, she returned to the University of Wisconsin to earn a master’s degree in social work. She then worked as a suicide and crisis counselor and later as a family therapist. Although she eventually left that profession to follow her artistic passions, she carried those experiences and insights with her for the rest of her life.

In 1977, Nancy began teaching dance at the Madison YWCA, eventually serving as program director. In 1980, she founded Madison Jazzworks Dance Company, where she directed and choreographed for many years. In 1985, she became the Cultural Arts Coordinator and Downtown Arts and Activities Center Director for Madison School & Community Recreation (MSCR). In this role, she hired and collaborated with talented local artists to bring a wide array of creative programs to the community. She touched countless lives through her work—so much so that she often joked (accurately) that she couldn’t walk downtown Madison without running into someone she knew.

It wasn’t until near the end of her professional career and when she felt too old to perform with Jazzworks that she discovered what many came to know her for: competitive ballroom dancing. Though she loved social dancing, Nan was a performer at heart. It was through ballroom dance that she met her partner and future husband, Dan Gorman.

Beyond dance, Nan had a deep love for music, especially American folk. She cherished singalongs with friends and the warm strum of a guitar. She also loved traveling the world and always made an effort to connect with new people – often through a shared love of dance.

Nancy is preceded in death by her parents, Seymour and Rita Gilbert, and her sister, Laura Gilbert. She is survived by her sisters, Beth Gilbert and Wendy Gilbert; her sons, Kirk McLaughlin (Hillary) and Rodd McLaughlin (Kim); her grandsons, Rio and Gunnar; and her beloved husband, Dan Gorman.

Details for a celebration of Nancy’s life will be shared at a later time.

All Faiths Funeral & Cremation Services of Madison is assisting the family. Online condolences can be shared at www.866allfaiths.com.