Nancy Leslie Enholm
Nancy Leslie Enholm passed away on April 26th, in San Luis Obispo, CA. Nancy called Santa Barbara home for nearly 30 years, it was where she met her husband, and love of her life, John Enholm, and where they raised three terrific children. All three of her children, plus her siblings and dear friends, spent time with Nancy in the last few weeks of her life, as she was diagnosed with late stage colon cancer in February of 2025.
Nancy Leslie was born in Palos Verdes, California, May 29th 1958, to Catherine and Harold Leslie, one of 5 children. Nancy lived by the coast her entire life, she loved the sea, the tides, the waves, and always enjoyed a day at the beach. That said, her mother Catherine (Kitty) worked in the fashion industry and was determined to recruit Nancy, who grew up to be 5’11”, to work as a fashion model. Nancy enjoyed modeling throughout her teens and 20s as much as, if not less than, she enjoyed playing volleyball, playing tennis, windsurfing, gardening, etc. Nancy was also a well-read and brilliant individual. Throughout her life she was enamored by literature. She read about a book a week, to the point that the Mesa Bookstore, and more recently Paso Robles Public Library, always knew to set aside their new novels for her weekly drop-in.
In 1981, Nancy received her Bachelor’s of Science from the University of California at Davis, in Plant Science and Viticulture. Though she did not make a career from it, she always kept our house full of lively plants and greenery. After college, Nancy worked as a model, living a desirable life in Newport Beach, CA. This would be the era of Nancy’s life where, she would say, she learned how to ‘work hard but party harder’. In 1987, she moved to Santa Barbara where she met her match in the ‘life of the party’ department, John Enholm.
Nancy and John loved traveling to the world’s most beautiful coastal towns together, with stints in Hawaii (for windsurfing, of course), Greece, France, and Mexico. The last, specifically, for their wedding on December 9th, 1989 in Cabo San Lucas. Both Nancy and John went on to work in mortgage lending in Santa Barbara in the 1990s and 2000s, which is to say they hit the jackpot (until they didn’t). In 2008, the two were humbled by the drawback but focused on the things that were most important to them, namely, raising their three young kids, and teaching them to enjoy life, with any means.
Motherhood came naturally to Nancy. She was nurturing without being overbearing, as is evident in her children’s independence and confidence. Nancy always showed up, with enthusiasm, for her children. You could find Nancy on the soccer field as an AYSO referee, the PTA chair for the student carnival and fundraisers, the proudest (and loudest) fan in the stands at Page Youth Center, MacKenzie Park, SB Tennis Club, Girls Inc., SBHS, SMHS, etc. Nancy’s kids Travis, Russell, and Nina, now carry her zest for life and her ‘work hard, play hard’ mentality.
Nancy made friends wherever she went, some of her dearest friends are here in Santa Barbara, we are grateful they will keep her memory alive.
Nancy was predeceased by her husband John, her mother Catherine Leslie, her father Harold ‘Hal’ Leslie, and her dear brother Harold ‘Chip’ Leslie. Nancy is survived by her three children and her three sisters Mary (Mike Jordan), Cindy (Mike Jaster), and Melinda Leslie. She is also survived by her sibling’s children Sarah, Summer, Caitlin, Emily, Zeb, Nick, Gus, Colby, and Camden as well as her dear in-laws, Bill and Jennie Enholm, Jim and Cristin Enholm, Bob Enholm and Vicky Brademan.
A celebration of life is being planned for Spring of 2026, in Santa Barbara. For updates and details please contact nina.enholm@gmail.com.
