Nancy Carolan (nee Alessandroni) Tries on Her Wings

Nancy R Carolan (nee Alessandroni)

10/7/50 - 9/10/14

Mother to Sean, Seumas, Brendan and Eamonn Carolan, sister to Sally Downey, Marian Parrott, Elaine Diamond, Joseph, Luke and John Alessandroni, grandmother, aunt, and beloved friend. Nancy was a rare beauty who took life by the horns and rode it her own way. She was a trendsetter, opening Philadelphia’s premiere health food counter at the famous Reading Terminal Market well before its current chic status, with outstanding cooking credentials, and a recent stint as the demo chef at the Center City Trader Joe’s. Her voice could open the heavens and she used it to record a cd, sing in clubs, and in theatrical performances from Hawaii to Philadelphia. Fitness was second nature, and surely her weekly swims kept her fit for that wretched foe, Leukemia, which she battled indefatigably for four years, putting up the proverbial good fight, surprising her medical team at every turn. After 9-11 Nancy began a glass angel project, striving to make angels from beach glass for each soul who perished in that tragedy. And her garden! I think after her sons and their families, she was most proud of her stalked and seeded children, which grew in abundance under her conductorship. Nancy and I have walked many paths together. Fortunately for me we got to spend much time in each other’s company over the past dozen years. I will have to stop myself from picking up the phone to hear of her escapades and adventures. Now she’s going on the greatest adventure of all and she leaves many wailing and wondering why so left us so early. Nano, you made so many pair of wings, now fly brightly with your own. You’ve earned them, old friend.