Patricia Eileen Romagnolo

Patricia Eileen Romagnolo Resident of Castro Valley Patricia Eileen Romagnolo, known to her loved ones as Nani, died early Monday morning at Barton Memorial Hospital in South Lake Tahoe, CA. She was 79 and lived with her family in South Lake Tahoe and Anthem, AZ. Patricia's family was the product of the fabled Dust Bowl migration, her mother and father moving to Southern California in the early 30s from Oklahoma and Arkansas, respectively. She was born in San Diego, CA, and moved frequently around California throughout childhood with her parents and younger siblings Robert, Joanne, and Donna. After attending more than a dozen schools, Patricia graduated from Hayward High School in 1949. One year later, she finally found her place to settle - within the life and family she made with Eddie, her husband of 58 years, and their children Mark and Victoria. The family lived in Castro Valley and Hayward for a number of years until Patricia and Eddie moved to their dream house in the hills above St. Helena. The pervasive themes of Nani's life were growth, transformation, and beauty. In her hands the raw materials of everyday existence turned lovely, transformed into little moments of inspired beauty - the old farmhouse restored to exquisite villa; seedlings nurtured into blooming garden; a chicken roasted to soul-warming perfection. The enduring image of Nani is atop her hill, standing at her porch with her vines and plants turning toward her in silent salute as she watches her children and grandchildren play in the grass below, the vine-covered Sonoma hills extending into the distance. Patricia is survived by her son Mark and his wife Stacy, her daughter Victoria and her husband Robin Akers, as well as 5 grandchildren - Nicholas, Alexander, Sebastiani, Jessica, and Jacob. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, September 18th at the Catholic Church in St. Helena, CA. In lieu of gifts, please send donations to the Romagnolo Family Scholarship Fund at East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy - romagnolo.epapa.org or PO Box 51717 East Palo Alto, CA 94303.