Annunziata "Nancy" (Recee) Carchedi

North Lima- Annunziata "Nancy" Carchedi, 98, passed away peacefully early Thursday morning at Assumption Village.

Nancy was born December 15, 1921 in Leoni, a town in the province of Avellino, Campania in Southern Italy. She was the daughter of Francesco and Teresa Ricca Recce.

At an early age, both of Nancy's parents passed away, and she and her sister were sent to live in a Catholic orphanage run by the nuns in Pompeii, Italy and her brother was sent to stay with the monks in Tuscany, Italy. Through the years, Nancy and her husband would send annual donations to Pompeii in support of the orphanage. Later as a teenager, she and her sister were reunited with their brother and they moved to Filadelfia Calabria, Italy. It was in Filadelfia that she met her future husband, Frank, who had lived in Filadelfia as a young boy and was visiting the town while serving in the U.S. Navy during WWII. The relationship began, then resulted in their marriage on December 27, 1948 in Filadelfia, Italy. Shortly thereafter, Nancy immigrated to the United States to be with her husband when he was discharged from the U.S. Navy. She was a devoted wife and a loving mother to her three sons and raised her family in Lowellville, Ohio. She was also a cherished grandmother to her five grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren; five step-grandchildren; and seven step-great-grandchildren. Some of Nancy's greatest achievements were teaching herself to speak, read, and write the English language and one of her proudest moments was becoming a citizen of the United States in 1961.

Nancy was preceeded in death by her husband Frank, who passed away on December 15, 2003; her parents; sister, Connie Reece LaSorte; brother-in-law, Peppino LaSorte; brother, Rocco Reece; and sister-in-law Antoinnette Reece. Nancy also leaves many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews in various locations in Italy.

During her life raising her family in Lowellville, she made time to belong to several organizations including, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Altar and Rosary Society, Mount Carmel Society of Lowellville Ladies Auxiliary, Lowellville American Legion Post 247 Auxiliary, Gloria Italia and the Lowellville Senior Citizens Organization.

Surviving Nancy are her sons, John (Joy) Carchedi of Georgetown, Texas, Jim (Debi) Carchedi of Poland Township, and Tom (Marie) Carchedi of Poland Township. Also surviving Nancy are her grandchildren, Tommy (Shannon) Carchedi, Andrew (Missy) Carchedi, Jimmy (Angie) Carchedi, Matthew (Melissa) Carchedi, Stephen (Sheena) Carchedi; great-grandchildren, Luca Carchedi, Capri Carchedi, Marco Carchedi, Rocco Carchedi, Carmen Carchedi, Angelo Carchedi, Dante Carchedi, Madeline Carchedi and Dominic Carched. Step-grandchildren, Kathryn (Douglas) Winter, Kathryn (Lyndon) Jones, Turner Mayo, Steve (Abby) Moore, Jason (Jenn) Moore, and step-great-grandchildren, Hailee Winter, Henry Jones , Lyndon Jones, Asher Moore, Jaden Moore, Ella Moore and Ben Moore.

Nancy was proud of her Italian heritage and would often tell stories of her life as a young child and adult in Italy. She shared stories of her life in the orphanage and of the German soldiers marching through the streets of Pompeii during WWII and the liberation of Italy by the American forces at the conclusion of the war.

She was a great cook and fabulous baker and the aroma of her fresh baked bread and homemade pizza would fill her Walnut Street neighborhood every Saturday morning, where neighborhood kids would stop over to enjoy her baking talents. Many of her cherished recipes such as wedding soup, gnocchi, and other Italian specialties were passed down to her daughters-in-law to carry on her legacy. Holidays such as Easter, the 4th of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas were always shared at Papa and Nonna's house with the family seated in the basement with tables and chairs lining the walls.

The family would like to thank Hospice of the Valley and the Special Care Unit at Assumption Village for the wonderful care they gave Nancy, and a special heartfelt thank you to two of her special caregivers, Kylie and Katie, for their individual love and attention to her.

A private Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church in Lowellville.

Arrangements are being handled by the Cunningham-Becker Funeral Home in Lowellville.