Nancy Ann LoScalzo Lussier, beloved schoolteacher, mother, wife, sister and daughter, passed away peacefully Thursday, April 16, 2020, with her family by her side inside her Monroe home. She was 71.
Nancy’s parents, Anna and Frank, moved from New York City to Central Valley in the early Sixties. From that day forward she and her brother Joseph would change Orange County forever. After graduating from Monroe-Woodbury, Joseph went on to run the Monroe landmark Mr. Cone and Nancy chose a career that was even sweeter. She became a teacher, graduating SUNY Oneonta and returning to M-W for almost 30 years, primarily at Pine Tree in grades 2-5.
But Nancy was more than your average teacher. With an infectious sense of humor and unwavering optimism, she went beyond the curriculum to teach life lessons her students still use today.
That influence reached out of school, too. Through good times and bad, her beautiful smile always lit up a room and made you happy. With Nancy it was never about her, it was always about the people she loved.
Survivors include her husband Dennis G.; sons Dennis M. and Germain and his wife Jayne; the LoScalzo, Tantillo, Lussier, Lentini, Airo, Garcia, Melcarz, Messuri, LaGamma and Ganyor families; nieces Robin, Anna, Erica and Diana; members of Delta Kappa Gamma; the “Gym Ladies;” friends from meditation, chemo at Good Sam, her unforgettable oncology team and so many others.
Her family hopes she rests in peace at the Cemetery of the Highlands in Highland Mills, along with her parents and brother.
A small closed service was held this week with larger celebration of life at a TBD date next year.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to St. Jude’s or Hospice of Orange and Sullivan.