Obituary of Enrica Nastasi

On May 12, 2020, Enrica Nastasi passed away at the age of 76. She successfully beat cancer in 2019, but shortly thereafter fell victim to the recent pandemic. Despite the unwavering efforts of the outstanding doctors and nurses at NYU Langone Winthrop, she ultimately succumbed to the virus after an 8 week battle. She is survived by her son Thomas, his wife Michele and their 3 daughters, Gabrielle, Amanda & Victoria; her son Charles; her brother Michael Tramontana, his wife Dorothy, and their three children; Christen (Michael) Miles and their three children Nicholas, Elise and Lauren; Nicholas (Jennifer) and their two children Luke & Olivia; and Genevieve and her daughter Ava. Enrica was born in Brooklyn New York on August 22, 1943 to Angelo (Charlie) and Angelina Tramontana. She attended St. Martin of Tours Grammar School and then Bishop McDonald High School in Brooklyn. Enrica managed to maintain lifelong friendships she had made from when she was a little girl growing up in Brooklyn. She met and later married the love of her life, Salvatore Nastasi. Together they worked hard and sacrificed so much to raise their sons, provide them with a private education and a life filled with faith, happiness, and unforgettable memories. Enrica and Salvatore became grandparents in 1996 when Gabrielle was born. Enrica was suddenly widowed in 2000 at the age of 56. Immediately thereafter, she was blessed with her second granddaughter Amanda, and two years later, “Nan’s 3 Stars” were complete with the birth of her third granddaughter, Victoria. Enrica always had a story to tell about her family; most often bragging about one or all of her grandchildren. She loved being a part of their lives and was always present for all of the special occasions that highlighted their young lives. She was a homemaker, who worked part time jobs while her sons were young. She then worked for Coca Cola for 15 years, before retiring in 2003. She took many trips out to Oklahoma to visit her brother, sister-in-law, nieces and nephews and she enjoyed going on short trips, vacations and family reunions with her children and grandchildren – Disney World was her favorite. Although she loved her family and friends, her true best friend was her son Charles with whom she spent quite a bit of time. Enrica and Charles had a special relationship, and a mutual understanding of one another. Before Enrica was admitted into the hospital, Charles cared for her for four weeks while she was sick and homebound. She loved to gather with family and friends, and it was almost always centered around cooking or eating food at the dining room table. A piece of advice that she would give to all of us would be to slow down, take a break from our busy lives, and gather our families around the table for a meal. She was a role model to many who has touched the lives of each and every person she ever knew, with kindness, generosity and selflessness. She was a social butterfly who went out of her way to strike up a conversation with anyone she could - she loved life. We will all miss her warm and contagious smile. On May 15th, the family held a private prayer service at Park Chapels in Garden City Park, NY, and Enrica was laid to rest, alongside her husband Salvatore, at Calvary Cemetery in Queens. Monsignor Thomas Harold from St. Anne’s RC Church in Garden City presided over the prayer service and burial. We will eventually celebrate Enrica’s life by having a Memorial Mass at St. Anne’s RC Church followed by a luncheon at a date and time to be determined. The family would like to thank everyone for their prayer cards and generous gifts of food, fruit, flowers and plants. The Enrica Nastasi Memorial Fund at St. Jude Children’s Hospital was generously established by Michele’s niece Linda & her husband Jesse Silver. Please use this link if you are interested in making a donation. https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/GiftFunds/GiftFunds?px=6638458&pg=personal&fr_id=39300