NICOLE WOLF

1927 - 2021

WOLF Nicole Rose-marie Wolf After a life that took her from a Parisian childhood to wartime London, the Broadway stage in New York, a farm in Montgomery County, MD, and a retirement in Annapolis, MD, Nicole Rose-marie Wolf passed away peacefully and in her sleep at her home on June 18, 2021. She was 94 years old. Nicole was a professional dancer, and that training gave her a style, grace, and elegance she carried with her always. Nicole Hargrove was born in Paris in 1927. Her parents were journalists - her English father, Charles R. Hargrove, was the European correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, and her French mother, Rosette Hargrove, a fashion writer. In 1940, with Paris about to fall to the Germans, Nicole and her mother escaped to England in the coal-filled hold of a freighter. It was said that, still covered head to toe in coal dust, they checked in to Claridge's as if they'd just stepped off the Queen Mary. In London during the war, Nicole studied dance with choreographer Pola Nirenska, and learned to sleep under a steel table covered by chicken wire to protect her family from bomb fragments. At age 19, she joined ENSA, the British version of the USO, and danced in a company that toured India, Vietnam, and more. Returning to Paris after the war, in 1948 Nicole married Paul Pearson (later of Annapo lis), who had recently completed his tour of duty with the U.S. Navy. The newlyweds moved to New York where Nicole modeled and continued her dance career, most notably dancing on Broadway for Agnes DeMille in the chorus-line for Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and touring in Allegro. The couple then relocated to Montgomery County, Maryland, where Paul first managed his uncle Drew Pearson's farm, then bought a farm of his own. While raising her children, Nicole began to dance again with Pola Nirenska and for 10 years performed with Nirenska's company in Washington, DC. She later made a career as an interior designer, including serving a term as President of the International Furnishings and Design Association (IFDA). After her divorce from Paul Pearson, in 1982 Nicole married Thomas H. Wolf, a Peabody Award-winning journalist she had first met when he was a war correspondent in London. The couple travelled widely for pleasure and ultimately moved to Annapolis. Mr. Wolf died in 1996. In her retirement, Nicole was a member of the Alliance Francaise of Annapolis, and was both patron and volunteer at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts. She especially enjoyed concerts by the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra. Nicole remained physically active for many years, practicing yoga and walking daily. A life-long reader, keen observer of life and the world around her, with a taste for travel and a particular love of beauty, Nicole's sensitivities, unique experiences, and wisdom made her an inspiring storyteller. Always eager to hear others' stories, too, she was a wonderful listener and devoted friend who was loved by many. She cherished her family and was cherished by them. She will be greatly missed. Nicole leaves behind three daughters, Karen Fazekas, Celia Pearson, and Andrea Lee, all of Annapolis, Maryland; two grandsons, Christopher Fazekas of Friendship, Maryland and Andrew Fazekas of Portland, Oregon; and five great-grandchildren. A gathering to celebrate her life will be private. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her memory to the World Wildlife Fund or The Friends of Quiet Waters Park. Photo by Jessica Earle.Photo by Jessica Earle.