Nancy Pignatano

She was a selfless, loving and generous woman who consistently placed the needs of everyone she loved before her own.

Nancy is survived by her husband Joe of 66 years, their two sons, Neil and Frank, grandchildren, Joseph and Alexis, and several cousins, nieces and nephews.

Viewing will be held on Friday, May 22nd from 4-7PM at Hodges Funeral Home, 525 111th Ave N. Naples, FL 34108. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Saint John the Evangelist, 625 111th Ave N. Naples, FL 34108 on Saturday, May 23rd at 12:00 p.m.

Nancy Pignatano Eulogy, 23 May 2020

Good afternoon everyone. I was given the rather daunting task of synthesizing 86 years down to a few minutes. What came out is mostly biographical, mixed with some personal perspectives. I hope you find my words acceptable.

Today we are gathered to celebrate the life of my mother Nancy. For those of you who don't know me, I'm Neil, her eldest son.

Mom came into the world on Mar 12th, 1934, the youngest of two daughters. Born into humble beginnings in Brooklyn, NY, both of her parents immigrated from Italy as children. Pappa, as we called my grandfather, was a cobbler. Nanny, our grandmother, was a seamstress.

Mom married her devoted husband of 66 years, Joe, about six weeks shy of her 20th birthday on Jan 23, 1954. She met pop on what was a double date. She had believed that her date was going to be someone else. So when pop showed up, she said, rather unenthusiastically and somewhat dejectedly, "Oh, it's you." The rest, as they say, is history.

I came along less than 15 months later in April of 1955. Pop was playing in the Texas league at that time and was in Ft Worth when I was born. He finally got to see me in June. My mom loaded us on plane and we trundle off to Texas. This says a lot about her strength: take a two month old baby on what was likely an 8-10 hour trip from Brooklyn, by herself.

Frankie, my little brother, was born in November 1956. As a ball player's wife, she was frequently separated from pop during the baseball season. So, she spent a lot of time raising us by herself. We were a hand full and used to drive her crazy. It's amazing that she didn't put us up for adoption.

Nonetheless she loved us. At the same time, she was very protective. When Frankie and I were old enough to join the Cub Scouts, mom was adamantly against it. But we were relentless. She eventually gave in, but she had to be our den mother. We were the only ones in the troop who had their own mom as den mother. How embarrassing! But it just showed how serious mom was about keeping us out of harm's way.

We led a very simple, but comfortable, life in Brooklyn, just like any other working class family. Back in those days, baseball players didn't make a lot of money, and pop had a regular day job during the off season. Mom was pretty much the stereotypical house wife.

That all changed in 1969 when my parents had saved enough to buy a small house in Staten Island. Pop was coaching for the Mets and for the first time, was home most of the year. It was here that mom came into her own. Now she had enough room to properly entertain family, friends, and pop's teammates.

The house had two fully equipped kitchens, and she made use of both of them. The food she served was all the rage. No one turned down a dinner invitation to Nancy's kitchen. If you left hungry it was because you didn't eat. To this day, I still don't know where she learned how to do all that. Back in Brooklyn, she used to burn water. The only time I looked forward to her cooking was on Sunday when she made macaroni and meatballs.

The family moved back to Brooklyn in 1977. It was a smaller house with a tiny kitchen. But that didn't stop mom... the dinner parties continued and the food just kept getting better and better. Mom had found her true calling: chef, hostess, socialite. She was truly in her element entertaining others, a testament to her big heart.

Mom was a devoted, if not doting, grandmother to Frankie's two kids: big sister Alexis and her kid brother Joe. Mom was like a second mother to them. She adored them and the feeling was mutual. In retrospect I think mom spoiled them like any other grandma. Nevertheless, my niece and nephew came out of it relatively unscathed.

But I think the most amazing thing she did was leave Brooklyn and get out of the rat race to the peaceful surrounds of SW Florida. What's so amazing about that you ask? Mom was a city girl through and through. New York was in her blood. She loved the city. It took years to convince her. Finally she realized that the house in Brooklyn was too much. So mom and pop bought a place in the same community that they would frequent in the winter with their snow bird friends. She never looked back. This was her new home and her new life.

She touched so many lives. A true testament to her Italian heritage, she was kind, generous, devoted to family, especially pop. And let's not forget her awesome culinary skills! She will be with us in our hearts always. Riposa in pace, Mamma. Rest in peace, Mom.