Nancy M. Donodeo

Nancy M. Donodeo, formerly of Orange Park, passed away peacefully at the age of 90 on August 23, 2025 in Ogden, Utah, surrounded by family.

Born on Dec. 24, 1934, she would grow up in Massachusetts with a loving family and deep Catholic faith. Raised during the Great Depression and World War II, she developed a strong work ethic and desire to help others that would chart her path to the Quincy City Hospital School of Nursing and six years in the US Navy as a registered nurse.

The Navy is also where she would meet the love of her life. Nancy married Roger F. Donodeo in 1962 and though that union did not last, they raised four children and stayed close until his death in 1999.

As a Navy wife, Nancy met some of her closest and dearest friends. The bonds she developed with these ladies lasted her lifetime. They were there to celebrate her good times and carry her through the bad. The fond memories and weekly phone calls she shared with them were gifts she cherished.

Family was also a big part of Nancy's life. Her children meant the world to her, as did her grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews, and cousins. Her daughter Theresa became her caregiver late in life. Together with Theresa's husband Michael and their four boys, Nancy enjoyed a loving, lively home to spend her final years.

Really keeping her on her toes, though, was her sister Peggy, her best friend and confidant. Their almost-daily conversations brought Nancy great comfort and plenty of laughter. Even on days when she didn't feel like chatting, she would answer Peggy's calls.

During her years in Utah, Nancy's mind, wit (and Massachusetts accent) remained sharp even as her health declined. She was the nana who never forgot a birthday and the friend who always had time to listen. She was an avid reader, loved a good crossword puzzle, and stayed fascinated by medical science.

Nancy will be remembered by many for big things: big hair, big sunglasses, big cocktail rings, big laugh, and a big personality. She loved time at the beach, a good party, dinner on the town, and being with friends and family who will miss her dearly.

She is survived by her four children: Roger F. Donodeo Jr. (and husband Lance Rhodes), Kathleen Hertzog (and husband Larry Hertzog), Theresa Kenny (and husband Michael Kenny), and Michael Donodeo. She is also survived by her six grandchildren: Sean, Ryan, Connor, and Stephen Kenny, and Ethan and Adriana Donodeo, her sister Peggy Shiers, eight nieces and nephews, and many others in her extended family. She was predeceased by her parents Thomas and Margaret Shea, brother Richard Shea, and sister Barbara Aldrich.

Visitation is scheduled for 5 PM – 6 PM on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, at Jacksonville Memory Gardens. A mass of Christian burial will be held at 11 AM on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, at St. Catherine's Catholic Church in Orange Park. Interment to follow mass at Jacksonville Memory Gardens in the Garden of the Good Shepherd.