Nan-Qian Li, age 93, of State College, passed away peacefully on July 20, 2023 in Wynwood House (Green Hills) with her loving family and friends at her side. Born on July 19,1930 in Beijing, P. R. China, she was the only daughter of the late Fang-Yu Li and Shi-Zeng Mai.

Nancy was a graduate of Oberlin Shanxi Memorial School class of 1948 and graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry from Peking University in 1953. She then became a teaching assistant and lecturer at Beijing Medical University for 9 years. She attended graduate school at the Institute of Research Experimental Medicine of Chinese Academy of Medical Science in Beijing from 1962 to 1966 and later became a research associate of Biochemistry. She joined the Institute of Biophysics of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1978 and was the vice head of the Nucleic Acids Research Section before she came to the United States in 1982.

Nancy began working at Penn State University as a visiting research associate in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, then as a research associate in the Department of Veterinary Science and the Department of Chemical Engineering. She earned her PhD in Genetics in 1995 at Penn State and was a senior research associate in the Department of Nutrition Science before her retirement in 2000. After spending some time with family and friends, she went back to work in the Applied Research Laboratory in 2001, then volunteered in Dr. Ross's lab in the Department of Nutrition Science at Penn State for over 16 years since 2003. She enjoyed spending her time in the lab with students, colleagues, and friends.

Nancy loved traveling, reading books, growing flowers, and vegetables, and caring for dogs and cats. She also enjoyed swimming in the pool before the pandemic. She liked to share her favorite recipes with her friends and she was a woman with a big heart that enjoyed helping others her entire life.

Nancy is survived by her son, Nan Li and his wife, Wenyi Zhu, and grandson, Edmond Li of State College.

Arrangements were entrusted to the Haky/Georgiana Centre County Funeral Home. Services are private per the family's request. An online guestbook may be signed and condolences left for the family at www.hakygeorgianafh.com