Obituary: Nancy Spinelli
September 6, 1939 – January 3, 2023
Nancy Spinelli, courtesy photo
Nancy Spinelli, 83, a caring wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, peacefully passed away with her family by her side at Central Vermont Medical Center on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
Nancy leaves behind her loyal and adoring husband, Michael Spinelli, four children and their spouses/partners: Jennifer (Don) Wyslotsky, Susan (Jim) Romanoff, Sarah (Tom) Burrows and Michael (Kate Stephenson) Spinelli; grandchildren Andrew (Alisa Cario) Wyslotsky, Maria (Kelsey) Wyslotsky, Caty (Evan) Ward, Meghan (Filipe) Rodrigues, Daniel Burrows, Nina Jing Romanoff, Lily Spinelli, and Lucia Spinelli; great-grandchild, Sophia Rodrigues; as well as cousins and friends.
Nancy’s husband, Michael, lives in their home in Berlin, Vermont, surrounded by their memories of love, crosswords, her artwork and their most amazing friendship. Michael and Nancy enjoyed 61 years of marriage. They were true life partners supporting each other throughout decades of a rich life, highlighted by their love for family and friends and their constant joy of matching wits. By way of her creative tenacity, Nancy was able to achieve what was thought to be impossible: converting Michael to a lover of dogs, a beautiful love that they were able to share later in life.
Throughout Nancy’s life, she held a passion for art beginning with her studies at Vermont College of Art followed by her involvement with both the Palatteers of Vermont in Barre and the Helen Day Art Center in Stowe. The paintings Nancy created throughout her life have found their way into many homes and public buildings.
Nancy led a purposeful life of service by giving back to the community by volunteering her time at the Waterbury Area Food Shelf and knitting countless winter hats, shawls and blankets for those in need and distributing them to agencies such as the Committee on Temporary Shelter, Caps for Cancer, UVM Cancer Center, public schools and others.
As a lifelong fishing enthusiast, Nancy never missed opening day of trout season. As a native Vermonter, Nancy held a fierce pride in her Green Mountain state.
Through her family and those she touched, Nancy leaves behind a legacy of community, warmth, creativity, compassion and purpose. Our family finds the following quote a poignant reflection of Nancy’s character:
“I don’t know about the world, not much: but in my part of the world I could make little miracles for ordinary people, and I never wanted the world – just a part of it, a small part that I could keep safe, that I could keep away from storms.” - Terry Prachett, English author
Services will be at a later date with interment in Maple Street Cemetery, Waterbury Center. For those who wish, memorial gifts would be appreciated to the Waterbury Area Food Shelf, 57 South Main Street, Waterbury, VT 05676. To send online condolences please visit perkinsparker.com.