Nancy E. Simeone

We mourn the loss of our beloved mother Nancy E. Simeone (nee Smith), who passed away on Sunday, October 8, 2017 at Meadow Lakes in East Windsor, NJ. Born on June 18, 1926 in Chicago, IL, she was raised in Oconto, WI. She was a graduate of West High School in Madison, WI, where the family moved following the death of her father in 1939.
In 1949, Nancy met her husband Ralph J. Simeone on the terrace of the Student Union at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. They were married after a courtship of several months. They started their family in Madison and lived there for a number of years, moving to Lake Forest, IL in 1960.
Nancy was a homemaker when her children were young, later taking part time office jobs for a synagogue, a home for developmentally disabled youth, and as a civilian employee for the US Army at Fort Sheridan. She also volunteered at Lake Forest Hospital for a number of years. When Ralph founded his own wholesale lumber firm in the mid 1960s, Nancy joined him as the bookkeeper, and continued until they retired in the 1980s. They moved to Vero Beach, FL in 1987. Several years after Ralph’s passing in 2005, Nancy moved to East Windsor to be near her daughter Lauren.
Nancy had many, many friends, and she was loyal and supportive to them. She loved to play bridge and played well into her 80s, stopping only because it was no longer possible to find a foursome—though not for lack of trying by the Activities Staff at Meadow Lakes. She loved animals, and always enjoyed the visits by the Therapy Dogs, as well as her own grand-dogs. She was always happy, and able to find something good in everyone. She loved a good “dirty” joke.
Nancy is survived by her daughter Lindsay Gross (Richard) of San Mateo, CA; her son Uddhava Saradadasa of Monroe Twp., NJ; her daughter Lauren Berman (Skip), of East Windsor, NJ; grandchildren Sarah Kovaleski (Scott), Gabriel Gross (Dana), and Jeannette Berman; great-grandchildren Madeline and Nicholas Kovaleski, and Noah and Jordan Gross.
Nancy was preceded in death by her parents Lillian K. Christiansen and William A. Smith; by her brother William and twin brother Charles, and by her husband Ralph J. Simeone (2005).
Cremation and memorial were held privately. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Nancy’s memory to the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee (elephants.com).