Nancy Jean Waters

to Giuseppe and Amelia (Papa) Marinelli, who eventually, relocated their family to Scranton, Pennsylvania, where she and her siblings attended school.

Growing up in a strict authoritarian household, Nancy was held to especially greater standards by her domineering immigrant father who demanded her unconditional obedience or be faced with the consequences of his harsh discipline. Her angelic mother provided refuge in their kitchen while teaching preparation techniques for authentic family recipes passed down from her Italian born grandparents, Vincenzo and Nunceatta Papa. Nancy’s mother instilled in her a love of cooking and the joy of sharing special made-from-scratch pasta dishes with family. This skill grew into a passion that continued throughout her life.

As a teenager, Nancy’s strong work ethic along with a diligent pursuit of perfection prepared her well to join her relatives and friends who were already employed at the local garment factory. She was hired as a seamstress and worked hard to sharpen her skills to such a degree that later in life, she was contracted to create and construct exquisite wedding gowns for many a grateful and elated bride.

For years, Nancy dreamed of gaining her independence to live life on her own terms. With job security and confidence in her own abilities, she felt compelled to leave her parents’ home before she turned 16. Like most of her generation, she managed with a frugal lifestyle during those war years. Then it wasn’t long after she met Navy Seabee, Willard Robert Hodge that the two decided to get married. Together they shared a good, hard working life and raised two sons, Willard Robert, Jr. and Gary Patrick, until September of 1966, when Willard Robert Hodge, Sr., died at the age of 39. The young Widow Hodge, now a grieving single mother continued to work in order to pay the bills and care for her younger son. A few years passed until Nancy met a jovial, kind-hearted former Marine, Joseph Benjamin Waters, who finally was able to convince her to become his wife. Together they cared for their blended families above and beyond measure. Nancy coordinated moves to out-of- state locations like Ohio and Canada as additional support system, or took in grandchildren for family members in transition to help through their time of need, or stepped in when others dropped out to establish a stellar reputation and hugely successful “Mama Marinelli’s Deli”. In 1988, Nancy returned to Throop, Pennsylvania, to be close to her mother, Amelia, her grandchildren, very special nieces, nephews and longtime friends. This more ‘retired’ lifestyle agreed with each of them but after 26 years of marriage, Mrs. Joe Waters became a widow once again. During each of her loving marriages, Nancy had graciously assisted her husbands in their business enterprises as well as supported each of them with their individual special interests or hobbies.

Nancy remained in Throop, fully devoted to caring for her precious mother until Mama Amelia Marinelli passed away peacefully on April 15, 2002, at 92 years of age.

After relentless urging from her elder son, Nancy moved to The Woodlands, Texas, in November 2002. It was not long before Nancy found employment in the busy Deli Department of the local grocery. Her career there came to an abrupt end when she slipped in the Deli and broke her hip just days shy of her 80th birthday.

Nancy took pride in doing her very best to be a compassionate friend. Always fiercely independent, she never wanted to be a burden to anyone; she would much rather be the one to do something selfless for another. It seemed she felt most useful when she was busy whether it be with keeping her house spotlessly clean or cooking a family feast or tending to her opulent rose garden, or stitching up a hem or dropping off a loaf of freshly baked banana nut bread to a neighbor. Also, Nancy was a tireless child advocate, and went out of her way to do thoughtful things for children. She participated in any Pro-Life activity at the church, donating baby blankets that she made or keeping toys and books on hand for any visiting children or cooking up the yummiest gooey grilled cheese sandwiches for the grandkids or making little baloney sandwiches cut in heart shapes for the great-grandbabies. And Nancy really enjoyed the freedom of driving herself around which she managed to do up until Thanksgiving 2020, going to the Post Office to buy boxes for mailing Christmas presents, shopping for the perfect birthday or holiday gifts to delight her little ones, or grocery shopping for the perfect ingredients and becoming a little elf herself at Christmas time baking the tastiest variety of Christmas cookies for all the grown up family and friends. She was ready to be a gracious hostess at a moment’s notice to anyone dropping by, to spreading her tabletop with all kinds of baked goodies while claiming that she was just about to make a fresh pot of coffee!

Nancy Jean Waters is preceded in death by both parents, her two fine husbands, all of her dear siblings along with the untimely passing of granddaughter, Samantha Jeanne Hodge and her grandson, Nicholas Vincent Hodge. “Gram” Nancy has been a blessing throughout the decades to our entire family and will be sadly missed by all her beloved relatives mostly spread out in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Texas.