Nancy Citarella, 82, born May 7, 1937, passed away at the Chelsea Assisted Living, Tinton Falls, on May 1, 2020. Nancy was born in Red Bank, NJ. She was the youngest of 8 children. She grew up in a loving family, surrounded by sisters, parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. Nancy was proud to be from Red Bank, and was a self-proclaimed “Jersey Girl.” She fell in love with a young man named Vincent Citarella, and remained married to him for 51 years, until his passing. They had the happiest of marriages, and were completely focused not on the material, but on the joys of raising a family. Nancy worked part-time as a waitress in various locations, the last being Bahr’s Landing. She loved her work and her work friends very much. In her younger days, Nancy enjoyed bowling, cards, games, puzzles, days at the Middletown Swim Club, and meals with her family. She will always be remembered for her infectious laugh and sense of humor. She loved her church, the United Methodist Church of Red Bank, and had tremendous faith in our Lord.
Her greatest joy in life was her granddaughter, Emily Keefe, also known to her as simply, “My Girl.” Nancy and her granddaughter shared a bond that can never be severed. As Nancy’s memory began to fade, she spent 4 years at the Chelsea Assisted Living in Tinton Falls. She was loved by the staff there, and was very well-known at the entertainment hour because she could sing the words to any song up until the end of her life, even with her memory fading. Nancy enjoyed constant visits from family and friends. Nancy smiled up until her last day on earth, a testament to her strength, grace, inner beauty, and faith. Her family is extremely grateful to the heroic staff at the Chelsea, who not only reported to work in dangerous conditions, but went above and beyond, making time to “Facetime” with the family so they could stay connected.
Nancy was predeceased by her husband of 51 years, Vincent Citarella; her parents, Cecil and Clara MacCloud; her brother, Herbert MacCloud; three sisters, Betty Pedersen, Cecila Fessler, and Evelyn Fountain. She is survived by her daughters and their husbands, Toni Citarella and David Duncan of Holmdel; Linda and Sal Asaro of Lincroft; her sister Ginny Scialla; her sister and brother-in-law Arlene and Bill Shaw; her brother Donald MacCloud; her sister and brother-in law Judy and Louis Vinci; by her granddaughter, Emily Keefe, and her “bonus” family: Amanda, Emilio, Emma, and Ariana Franza; Lindsay Asaro, and Lisa and Danielle Duncan. She will be sorely missed by her family and many, many friends.
Funeral services are private. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund https://njprf.org/ or the Chelsea Employee Fund (One Hartford Drive, Tinton Falls, NJ 07701). Thompson Memorial Home of Red Bank, NJ has been entrusted with the arrangements.
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