Margherita Nash

July 25, 1925 – December 10, 2020

A resident of El Paso, Texas for over 58 years, Margherita (Morghen) Nash, age 95, passed away peacefully on December 10, 2020. Also known to her family and friends as Margaret, Pupa (an Italian term of endearment meaning “baby doll”), Momma Nash, and the “cool cat,” Margherita was our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend.

Margherita was born on July 25, 1925 to Filippo and Teresa (Puccini) Morghen in San Vincenzo, Italy, a commune of Campiglia Marittima in the region of Tuscany. As a young farm girl, Margherita loved to hunt with her grandfather and made her own shotgun shells. As she grew into a beautiful teenager, her interests turned to the cute Italian naval boys, skiing, tennis, and playing the piano. She excelled in competitive tennis, being ranked the top player in Livorno at the time. She lived a happy life, living on the family farms and in the cities of San Vincenzo, Livorno, and Suvereto, until at the age of 16, World War II began.

During the war, she and her family moved to the farms for protection and food, and experienced life as most of us could never fully comprehend. We sometimes call Margherita our “princess warrior.” As a princess, she was beautiful, compassionate, and charitable, providing shelter, food, and comfort to the less fortunate and her war-stricken countrymen. As a warrior, she was strong, feisty, courageous, and part of the Italian resistance movement providing aid to the allied forces against the Italian fascists and Nazi Germany who had taken control of her country and home. She survived captivity, firing squads, bombings, and strafing by military aircraft, and mourned the loss of many dear friends.

At the close of the war, she met Captain James Robert Nash at a dance. Jim was serving in the United States Army European theatre of operations in Italy. He offered her a job in his office, they fell in love, and after a short courtship, married twice; first civilly on June 10, 1946 in Livorno, Italy in accordance with local laws, and then two days later on June 12, 1946 in the Protestant Church in Livorno, Italy. Seven months later, on January 27, 1947, they sailed past the Statue of Liberty as Jim brought his new war bride home to America, hardly able to speak any English, to begin their new life together and have a family of three children. As a family, they later returned to Italy, living in the Mediterranean costal community of Tirrenia while Jim was stationed at Camp Darby, where they remained until they were reassigned to Ft. Bliss, Texas and made El Paso their permanent home. Shortly thereafter, Jim retired from the Army with the rank of Lt. Colonel.

Margherita pursued her high school diploma and continued her education to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. She both managed the family-owned Nita Jan Shoppe of fine women’s clothing, and worked professionally as a nurse. Shortly after beginning work as a nurse, her husband Jim passed away suddenly on their 20th wedding anniversary, and she became a single parent to her three children for the next 54 years.

For 43 years until her retirement at age 83, Margherita served the people of El Paso as a nurse at William Beaumont Army Medical Center, Las Palmas Medical Center, Southwest General, Sun Towers, and Thomason hospitals. She received numerous outstanding performance awards, including recognition by the El Paso Times as “Best of the Border–the people behind the scenes who make El Paso work” as “Most Efficient Nurse” at Sun Towers. She often worked 350 days a year without a day off, and when asked why, she simply said “Because you people (referring to her children) were very expensive!” She was loved and respected by all her colleagues, friends and neighbors — and she loved them.

As a nurse volunteer, she also served at a clinic at White Sands Missile Range on her off-days, as well as weekly at the El Paso Baptist Clinic for 14 years up until her battle with cancer.

Margherita had a passion for all animals, and especially for her Great Danes, cats, and wild turtles roaming the yard. As an early member of the Great Dane Club of El Paso, she showed her “Casey” who qualified as an AKC champion. She loved to work in her flower gardens. She also had a talent and gift for creating beautiful stained glass art — which is proudly displayed throughout her and our homes.

Momma Nash is now celebrating a glorious reunion with her loved ones–her husband, parents, and beloved ancestors who have passed before her. At this Christmas season, we are especially grateful to our Father in Heaven and for the gift of His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, for their matchless love, and through whom the Plan of Happiness, and the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ make eternal families possible. We are grateful to our Mom, who sacrificed so much for us, and who loved her family dearly. We are who we are, because of who she was.

Margherita is survived by her daughter and two sons, 6 grandchildren, and 28 great-grandchildren.

We are very grateful for all those who gave our mother such wonderful friendship and tender compassionate care over the past three years, including her dear friends Dr. Genevieve Belgrave and Willie Olmstead, and Dr. Ines Sanchez and the staff of Texas Oncology.

Due to the Covid pandemic, a public memorial service will not be held. A family graveside service will be held at a future date, when she will be interred with her husband, Lt. Colonel James Robert Nash, at Fort Bliss National Cemetery.

Margherita requested that in lieu of flowers, that friends consider making a donation instead to what she loved and wanted to be remembered for most, either:

(1) El Paso Baptist Clinic, 2700 N Piedras St, El Paso, TX 79930, (915) 532-5398, or donate online at elpasobaptistclinic.org

(2) Humane Society of El Paso, 4991 Fred Wilson, El Paso, TX 79906 (915) 532-6971, or donate online at hselpaso.org