Nancy Camden

Mrs. Nancy Doughty Camden, 90, deeply beloved wife of the late Fred A Camden, Sr., passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, with her family and friends by her side.

Born July 14th, 1935, she was the daughter of the late Margaret Josephine & George Wilson Doughty and was raised by her "Aunt" Lee Melson Kellam and "Uncle" Malcolm Smith Kellam in Craddock Neck then moved to Shields Bridge, Belle Haven, VA.

She was a member of Exmore Baptist and Craddockville United Methodist Church and was a devout Christian who bore out her faith more in deed than word. Her large dining room table was rarely at less than peak capacity of family, local friends and passing travelers from Florida to Canada and points west. Each meal began with a prayer followed by her significantly understated "It's not much but we're thankful for it." It was a well-known fact that her "not much" was responsible for more than a few expanded waistlines on the shore.

As good as she was at making guests feel like family, she was also a perfect teammate to her husband and daughter when it came to building successful businesses. He founded Camden Brothers, Inc. in Belle Haven, and she was the owner of the Sears store in Exmore. Their daughter Theresa worked for both businesses until they closed. Working together to support both businesses, they built a large clientele of loyal customers through tireless industry, fair dealings and complete reliability in their word.

If a friend, family member or stranger needed help, she would drop what she was doing and put them first. No matter what pressures, pains or personal setbacks she was undergoing herself, she always asked others "How are you doing? How about your father/mother/brothers/sisters?" and if you mentioned anything being amiss, she would ask "What can I do to help?"

Nancy loved going to yard sales, looking for bargains, cooking for others, visiting family and friends, going to church and doing the hard, continuous work of making a difference in the lives of others. She was a walking library of Eastern Shore local knowledge and knew just about everyone who lived here in the past 90 years and if Nancy knew you, you had a loyal friend.

Nancy was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She loved making her famous chicken and dumplings, rolls and fried chicken for her great-grandchildren, family and friends. The day before Christmas Eve 2025 she taught McKenna how to make her rolls and dumplings.

Nancy is survived by her daughter, Theresa C. Adams and her husband, Sid; her daughter-in-law, Twila; three grandchildren, Kelly Antrim, Scott Hines and his wife, Emily, and F. A. "Tripp" Camden III; four great-grandchildren, Gabe Antrim, McKenna Rhatigan, Asher Hines, Bayleigh Rhatigan; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, siblings and husband, she was predeceased by a son, F.A. Camden Jr.

A viewing will be held at Exmore Baptist Church, Monday, January 5, 2026, beginning at 1:00 pm with funeral services starting at 2:00 p.m., 11624 Occohannock Rd., Exmore, VA 23350 with Pastor Jonathan Carpenter officiating. Interment will be in the Belle Haven Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Shore Christian Academy, P.O. Box 28, Belle Haven, VA 23306.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.doughtyfuneralhome.com

Arrangements were made by Doughty Funeral Home in Exmore, Virginia.