Donna Nappi

WOLCOTT, CT
Donna M. Nappi
Loving Wife, Mother, Grandmother and Sister
Donna (Santoro) Nappi, 73, of Wolcott, entered the gates of heaven on Friday, April 14, 2023 at the Vitas Unit at St. Mary's Hospital surrounded by her family and her fur babies, Lilly and Tika. She was the wife of Charles Nappi.
Donna was born in Waterbury on February 5, 1950, a daughter of the late Canio and Marion (Ricci) Santoro.
Professionally, Donna was a certified special education teacher and consultant at Center School in Seymour and at Conard and Hall High Schools in West Hartford. Donna graduated from Southern Connecticut State University having completed two master's degrees and a 6th year degree in school administration. After twenty years in public education, she received a faculty appointment at Yale University at the Yale Child Study Center.
Besides, her husband of 51 years, she leaves, her son Brandon Nappi and his wife Susan Nappi, her two granddaughters Sophia Nappi and Ellie Nappi all of Middlebury, her sister, Patricia (Santoro) Vallerand of Wolcott, nieces Michelle Doran and Nicolle Cady, along with several other nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her sister Shelby Santoro.
Donna was a devoted Notre Dame football (Go Irish!) and Pittsburgh Steelers fan. She was also an avid fan of the New York Mets. She was last seen at Shea Stadium on "Bring Your Pet Day" walking somewhere around third base. Also a huge part of her life was spending time with her granddaughters Sophia and Ellie especially watching them grow at Westover School as they matured into confident young women.
Donna loved cruising around the world, especially to Sicily, Venice, Rome, the Bahamas and Belize. She loved staying active and could always be seen at Planet Fitness, where she worked out daily.
On behalf of Donna, we would like to thank the Emergency Room staff and the VITAS staff at St Mary's Hospital, Dr Chang, Dr Kim, Dr Pruner Dr. Merany and APRN Jenna Jordan for the compassion and dedication they gave to Donna during the last year of her life. In a very private note she wrote: "How precious all of you have been to me in my life. We will meet again joyfully on the other side. I was given this gift of life to hold, and now I have to give it back. This is hard, but I am very lucky to have known you–-for all my cousins, especially Richard DiChiara and my sister Pat, I am eternally grateful.
To Charles on July 8, 1972:
I promised to help you love life.
I promised to always hold you with tenderness.
I promised to have the patience that love demands.
I promised to speak when words are needed and to share silence when they are not.
I promised to agree to disagree.
I promised to live with the love and warmth of your heart so I can always call that home
And to tell you the secret of my love of 50 years.
was not to find a love to live with,
rather to build a love I couldn't live without
I DID and I Do.
Love, Me"
Arrangements: Calling hours will be held Friday, May 12, 2023 at Chase Parkway Memorial/The Albini Family Funeral Home, 430 Chase Parkway, Waterbury, from 8:00 am to 10:00 am. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Pius X Church (St. Basil the Great Parish), 525 Woodtick Rd. Wolcott at 11:00 a.m. Burial will be private.
Contributions can be made in her name to:
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
P.O. Box 167,
Memphis, TN 38101-9905
(st.jude.org/trideltadonate)