When Spring Mill Pointe opened in 1995, Nancy Chabaud took a job at the Lafayette Hill retirement community to be the facility’s only housekeeper. Chabaud diligently cleaned rooms and washed laundry until she began to earn promotion after promotion.

 Now, the longtime Conshohocken resident is the nonprofit community’s director of building and grounds.

Last month, Chabaud was honored for her 30 years of service at a time when Spring Mill Pointe is set to undergo change. Five new apartments are scheduled to open in the community. The June 3 ceremony was not only a tribute, but a ribbon cutting.

 “Over the past seven years, I have had the privilege of working alongside Nancy, and I can say without hesitation that she is one of the most humble, dedicated, and selfless individuals I have ever known,” Sara Kelly, executive director at Spring Mill Pointe told the Local. “Her 30-year journey from housekeeper to director of buildings and grounds is remarkable in itself, but it's the kind of person Nancy is that truly sets her apart.”

Kelly described Chabaud’s dedication to the community and her willingness to serve without seeking recognition as invaluable. “There are countless examples of Nancy going above and beyond, arriving at 11 p.m. or 3 a.m. unprompted, simply because a resident needed support or a team member needed help,”

 Kelly continued. “Nancy's compassion, humility and unwavering presence are woven into the very fabric of our culture. She is quite simply an extraordinary human being.”

Chabaud, a 1976 graduate of Archbishop Kennedy High School, worked for a cosmetics company and part-time at a medical supply firm before joining Spring Mill Pointe. Chabaud has two sons and two daughters. All attended Plymouth Meeting High School and three of whom formerly worked in the Spring Mill Pointe dining room. The four children and nine grandchildren all live in the Philadelphia area. 

“I am fortunate that they are close,” Chabaud said. “I babysit and go to games. I have a granddaughter sleeping over tomorrow night, for example. And I love going to the Outer Banks.”

Spring Mill Pointe has 90 residents: 46 in independent living, 23 in memory care, and 21 in personal care. The senior community is owned and operated by HumanGood, the sixth largest nonprofit senior living provider in the nation. 

Chabaud calls it a “nice environment with a great vibe” where all staff members know every resident and even their family members.

“I can still remember the first resident we had here in 1995,” Chabaud said. “Her name was Matilda Lewis.”

Chabaud has worked as director of building and grounds for 15 years. She works on projects with a group she calls “a great team” that includes two maintenance people, two security people and eight housekeepers. “I will still shampoo carpets and do anything else if the staff needs help,” she said. “It's very important to work together.”

 Len Lear can be reached at LenLear@chestnuthilllocal.com.