Nancy Broadhead
New London, NH – Nancy Carolyn Olson Broadhead passed away suddenly on
August 30, 2025. She was born July 11, 1939, the only child of Edwin
and Katie Olson, and was home schooled by her father until she
attended Northfield Mount Herman, graduating in 1956. She attended
Wheaton College, Norton MA, completed her bachelor’s degree in
mathematics in 1960. While in college, she served on the Academic
Committee and the Religious Association. Upon graduation, she accepted
a position at IBM in the Boston office, where she remained for several
years. She met and married her husband Edgar I. Broadhead, Jr. in
1962, before accepting a position in the computer department at
Dartmouth College in 1964. This was shortly after Dartmouth began
offering computer “time sharing” to area high schools, where students
could learn BASIC computer programing language. Nancy oversaw user
service operations at the Kiewit Computation Center, at Dartmouth,
which contained the largest IBM computer in the world, located in its
own separate building. Nancy appeared in a documentary entitled “The
Birth of Basic” (now available on youtube.com). In 1989, Nancy
transferred to the Registrar’s Office at Dartmouth, where she retired
as Associate Registrar in 2005. She also became certified as an EMT
and worked with local fire departments for several years. Nancy and
her husband Edgar were active members of the Porsche Club of America
for 62 years, serving in the New England chapter of the Club. They
received much recognition and appreciation from various regions of the
Club for their generous contributions to the Club rallies, time
trials, tours, as member of the Board of Directors, proofreader,
secretary, and senior advisor over the years.
Nancy was predeceased by her parents and is survived by her husband of
63 years, Edgar I. Broadhead, Jr., and cousins. There will be no
calling hours. A graveside committal service at the West Part Cemetery
in New London will be announced in the future.