Nancy Pellini Morrow

Nancy Pellini Morrow of Haddonfield, New Jersey, passed away peacefully on November 20, 2025, at the Barclays Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Cherry Hill after a series of health struggles. The youngest of five children, Nancy was born in Walpole, Massachusetts, to Aldo D. Pellini, a professional tailor, and Giulia Pellini, a homemaker – both were immigrants from Italy.
Nancy was predeceased by her parents and by two beloved siblings: Silvia Pellini MacPhee and Aldo D. Pellini, Jr., both of Walpole, Massachusetts. She is survived by her devoted husband of 37 years, Richard (Rick) F. Morrow; brothers Rev. Robert Pellini MM of Ossining, New York, and John T. Pellini (Kate) of New York, New York; and by nine cherished nieces, nephews, and their families.
Nancy earned a BA in English Literature (Italian minor) from Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts. She spent the following year in Tuscany, Italy, where she created treasured memories improving her fluency in Italian and meeting relatives of both parents for the first time – some in the city, some in the mountains. Her time there solidified her love of all things Italian. Nancy then worked as librarian in the Technical and Information Center of a major engineering corporation in Boston where she met her husband, Rick (who may have manufactured reasons to increase his library visits). Nancy was so easy to talk to that many of the engineers would stop by the library to enjoy her conversation and willingness to lend a sympathetic ear. Together, Rick and Nancy enjoyed Boston's North End, where Nancy lived and had inside knowledge of many little-known but first-rate Italian restaurants. In 1988, Rick and Nancy married and later settled in Haddonfield where Nancy worked in a neighboring small public library doing what she loved most: reading and recommending books to parents and children. Nancy was truly in her element there, surrounded by books and local community.
Nancy's lifetime love for books and libraries revealed itself early on in elementary school when she was allowed to paste pockets in the backs of books at the Walpole Public Library, earning 25 cents per week. In adulthood, Nancy's bookshelves (custom-built by her husband) were filled with titles on religion, world history, travel, literature, art, fiction, politics – she was always reading and planning to read more. Her sharp intellect and steely moral compass led to lively discussions about politics and religion – Nancy was not shy about expressing her views. While she struggled with the divisiveness of today's politics, she held on to the idea that most people are well intentioned.
Nancy identified strongly with her Italian Catholic upbringing, and she embodied the Italian traditions of generosity, food, family, and culture. She often recalled delightful stories of growing up in the bustling family home in Walpole, filled with colorful personalities and the smells of her mother's wonderful cooking. Her father, a beloved figure in the community, created custom fur coats, repaired jerseys of several Boston professional sports teams, and once fashioned a suit for Woodrow Wilson. As a child, Nancy would wish for the store-bought clothes that her girlfriends would have, when in fact she had hand-made tailored garments anyone today would be proud to wear. Her childhood home had an expansive vegetable garden where her father raised prize-winning tomatoes (and was even known to play music to the plants); he started everything from seed, and in the spring the bathtubs in the house would be filled with starter pots. They raised backyard chickens and rabbits, and Nancy – ever the champion of the downtrodden and the underdog – once infuriated Aldo Sr. by releasing all of the chickens to freedom after she learned their eventual fate would be the dinner table. Most of them were subsequently run over by cars on East Street.
Nancy helped her mother learn English and loved spending countless hours together with her in the kitchen. She relished her memories of Sunday mass with her mother, followed by cooking and preparing family Sunday dinners. With this foundation, Nancy became an accomplished cook with a refined palate. Over the years, she amassed a world-class collection of cookbooks (requiring, of course, dedicated custom-built shelves by Rick). A few of her most prized possessions included her mother's wooden pasta board, original rolling pin, and old-world Italian ravioli press, all of which traveled across the sea when her mother sailed from Italy to America. This rich family heritage contributed to Nancy's sense of self-sufficiency, her deeply held values, and her incredible heart full of kindness.
Growing up in the fifties and early sixties, Nancy became personally aware of the pervasive discrimination that exists in our culture. This, combined with a strong sense of right and wrong, produced the lifelong boldness she had to directly confront prejudice whenever she witnessed or encountered it. Her perspective was eye-opening and, in effect, transformational for Rick and his entire family. This strong moral compass and the courage to act on it were the drivers behind what made Nancy so easy to respect and love.
In her later years, Nancy's life was complicated by a number of serious health problems, which she faced with her typical courage and inner strength.
We will all miss Nancy terribly for the rest of our lives.
Nancy's final wishes were to be cremated and to have her ashes scattered at places she loved. The family plans to celebrate Nancy's life privately. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Nancy's name to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.