Nancy L. Donaghy, nee Rodenberger, of East Falls, Philadelphia, died May 14, 2023.
She was born on October 23, 1940 to William and Ann (Harcarik) Rodenberger in Philadelphia, PA. She was baptized as “Ann” and confirmed as “Louise”, and she often used the latter as a middle name. She grew up in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia along with her younger sister Mary, and together they attended St. Francis of Assisi grade school and spent summers visiting their beloved grandmother, Mary Harcarik, in Weirton, WV.
She attended Little Flower High School, where she graduated first in her class of 900 in 1958. She played the cello, was a member of the symphonic orchestra, and was active in church groups. After graduating, she joined the senior CYO, and while attending a dance at Holy Child in the city’s Logan section in May of 1959, she met her future husband, Francis Donald “Don” Donaghy. Thus began what they lovingly described as “a 7-year, whirlwind courtship”.
Unable to attend college initially, Nancy went to work at Hartford Insurance and soon moved on to Smith, Kline & French as a lab assistant. While there, she performed so well that she was nominated for and awarded a full scholarship, which she used to earn a BS in Mathematics at Bucknell University. While at Bucknell, she met and became dear friends with Anne Alvarez and Lenore Reid, and after graduating in 1964 she then returned to work at Smith, Klein & French.
Don and Nancy were married in 1966 and spent their first wedded summer together in New York. Returning to Philadelphia that fall, they moved into the Carlton Park apartment complex in East Falls where Nancy first met some of her closest, lifelong friends in Judy McGinnis and Norma Mercer. Nancy also took a position in the University of Pennsylvania’s development office as a data analyst and volunteered as a docent at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
They then moved to their current family home on Midvale Avenue in 1970, and soon after welcomed daughter Elizabeth and son Daniel. Nancy subsequently left Penn in 1972 to concentrate on their family, and she raised her young children while also volunteering as a Historic Philadelphia tour guide for Centipede Tours as well as being an active member of the Ravenhill and St. Bridget’s church communities. It was here in East Falls that she formed some of her closest, enduring friendships with neighbors like Judi and Bill Morrow, Julie O’Malley, Gayl and Herb Henze and Carol and John Buzilow.
In 1979, Nancy returned to the work force when she was hired as the receptionist for the William Penn Charter School. There she was befriended by the head of the development office, Marcia Stone, who encouraged Nancy to not only change roles to become the school’s alumni data manager, but also challenged her to return to school and get her teaching degree. Heeding Marcia’s advice, Nancy attended Temple University classes at night, getting her MA in Education with a focus in mathematics. Nancy’s hiring as a teacher at Penn Charter was championed by fellow teacher Pam Ball, and Nancy then spent the next 17 years serving as both a teacher to 7th-10th graders and as the alumni data base manager. Eventually leaving the classroom, Nancy finally retired for good from the development office in 2006 after having served PC for 27 years. For her service to the school, she was recognized as an honorary Class of 1689 award recipient, the school’s highest staff honor.
For all of her accomplishments, what made Nancy most notable was the breadth and depth of her love for others. Warm, caring, loyal and compassionate, she could often be considered the closest friend to ten or more women at once. She was empathetic and open about her own feelings and challenges, and that endeared her to all those who loved her.
As a teacher, she was clever, engaging and giving of her time, and she was highly regarded by her students as one of the nicest and most patient teachers in the school. She shared her love for kids at home with her nieces and nephews, as well as her children’s friends. She threw open the doors to include them in family gatherings and celebrations, and she was particularly welcoming to foreign exchange student visitors – one of whom, Manuela Kulage, she visited in Europe 13 times during their subsequent decades of friendship.
Nancy was a beloved member of her community, organizing Christmas caroling outings, supporting parks, and hosting holiday fondue gatherings for family and neighbors alike. She was a member of the East Falls Village association and an original member of her local book club, founded by GiGi White and Doris Steinberg. Additionally, she was an avid theater goer, loved the serenity of vacations in the Adirondacks, and likely knew the words to every last Elton John song.
Most importantly, she was a relentlessly loving wife and mother. She adored her 5 grandchildren and relished gatherings with her extended family. She gave long, warm hugs, shared thoughtful and emotionally intuitive advice, and even occasionally fired off a quick zinger with her unexpectedly quick wit. She also had the most disarming and beautiful smile. She gave love ceaselessly to those she valued most, and she found loving value in nearly everyone she met. She was wonderful.
Nancy is survived by her husband Don, her two children and their families; Elizabeth (Jamie) and Daniel (Kristin), five grandchildren (Brigid, Fionn, Tug, Rory and Molly), her sister Mary Ginnattassio (Ralph), and nieces and nephews.
The family would also like to acknowledge the extraordinary support they received from Nancy’s care team: TsaoWei Liang, MD; Jessica Cappela, NP; Rachel Wiley, OT; Homes Aides of Family Cares; Abramson Palliative Care team; and Bayada Hospice Team.
A Memorial Meeting for Worship for Nancy will be held at Penn Charter on Tuesday, July 18 at 10 am in the William Penn Charter School Meeting Room at 3000 W. Schoolhouse Lane, Philadelphia, PA, 19144.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the Michael J Fox Fund for Parkinson’s in Nancy’s memory: https://give.michaeljfox.org
Thinking of your family..
love
Carol Ben Randy Buzilow