Nadine F Tope

Dr. Nadine Tope dedicated her life to helping other people. Through her career in food safety she promoted sound food preservation methods that saved lives, improved human health, and gave confidence to home cooks and canners. She taught cooking classes, provided outreach, judged cakes, jellies, jams, and other products at the state fair and tirelessly advocated for the best food handling methods in the home kitchen. Nadine had a great sense of humor, and could always see the funny side of any situation. She went to school majoring in Home Economics education at Cornell College in Iowa and at Purdue university for her masters and doctorate degrees. She taught at Mankato State College in Minnesota, Purdue University, Messiah College in Pennsylvania, and North Carolina State University, where she retired Professor Emeritus as an extension professor and specialist in charge of food and nutrition. She was a registered dietician and had a passion for providing home cooks with the ability to make healthy meals for their families. She even hosted a food preparation segment on the public television program Almanac for many years, always with a lighthearted twinkle in her eye. The funny outtakes from these filming sessions were a particular delight.

Married for 32 years, she and her husband, Paul, who predeceased her, enjoyed camping, fishing and the outdoors together. Nadine lived in North Raleigh for over 50 years, along with many beloved dogs and cats. A true animal lover, Nadine had a dog at her side to the very end. She is survived by her stepchildren Janet Treer and Gary Tope, grandchildren, Jennifer, and Zachary, and great grandchildren, Benjamin and Ryan, her sister Betty Moser, her five nieces Mary Moser, Susan Lankford, Jean Moser, Ann Courtney, and Jane Moser, and their children, Samantha, Jack, Elaine, Catherine, Kennedy, Caroline, George, Darina, and Nadia. She owed much of her happiness in later life to Effie Underwood of Raleigh, who shared her love for gardening and canine companions. She was also helped in her long battle with Parkinson’s by the staff and friends at Springmoor retirement community, and by the Home Instead and Honor caregivers who dedicated themselves to enriching her life and keeping her comfortable throughout. Her wide smile and irrepressible sense of humor will be missed by all.

Gifts in honor of Nadine may be made to an NCSU endowment in her name. Make checks payable to “NC Ag Foundation” with “Tope FCS Program Development Endowment” in the memo line and mail to NCAF, Campus Box 7645, Raleigh, NC 27695-7645

Secure online gifts may be made at: go.ncsu.edu/tope-fcs-endowment

A memorial service for Nadine will be held Sunday, May 25, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 1701 East Millbrook Road, Raleigh, NC 27609.