Obituary of Nancy P. Giaccone
Nancy Patricia Giaccone (nee Dill) passed away peacefully on March 23, 2025 surrounded by her family succumbing to her long fight with COPD. She joins her husband Leonard, her sister Carol and her parents Lemuel Taylor Dill and Grace Agnes Dill (nee Laing).
Born in 1936 at New York’s Presbyterian Hospital, she grew up on Long Island with her sister and parents, living most of her youth in Malverne, NY. Graduating from Malverne High School in 1954, she had decided to pursue a degree in international business. She attended the University of Miami in Miami, Florida where she met her soon to be husband Leonard F. Giaccone. She decided to return to NY and continue her education there. She and Leonard maintained a relationship until 1958 when they married. They briefly lived in New York City and settled in Poughkeepsie, NY where Nancy would spend the rest of her life. In 1960 their son Anthony was born, followed by their daughter Grace, in 1963 and their son Jason in 1971. During this time, Nancy pursued a variety of part time jobs however her first and most loved job was mother to her children. She returned to her studies in the mid seventies and graduated from Dutchess Community College with an associate’s degree in Data Processing.
Degree in hand, she ended up working at DCC for 20 years as the Data Processing Department’s Computer Lab Manager. During this time, she used her warm personality and generous disposition to help hundreds of students manage the complexities of working toward their degrees at Dutchess. She retired from the college and was well thought of and remembered by staff and students.
During a family illness in the early 80s, Nancy returned to her religious beliefs and started to attend Zion Episcopal Church in Wappingers Falls where she remained a member for the rest of her life. In the late eighties and nineties she ran, with assistance, a program at Zion named Young Old Timers, which assisted the oldest members of the church with activities and support for their ability to continue being part of the Zion Community. She took great joy in this work and rejoiced in being a contributing member of the Zion Community.
Nancy was gifted with a beautiful singing voice which she discovered and enhanced in high school. Singing was a lifelong passion for her, and while at Zion, she was a member of the choir and often took singing lessons with Noel Hart, the Zion choir director. These lessons were a source of constant comfort and joy. Singing was her life-long constant companion and being able to do so in a choir was a huge source of comfort to her. She greatly valued the chance to be part of a community of people at the church.
Family was always at the center of her life. Even though her sister lived in Florida and Texas she and Carol Cronberg were close and had a warm loving relationship for their entire lives. By marrying Leonard, she gained a large Italian family and was joyful in her participation in all the events and moments of that large family. She was always a polite and loving person who tried to be considerate, thoughtful and supportive to anyone in her life. These characteristics she passed down to her children and took great pride in seeing them practice those skills.
She is survived by her son Anthony, and his wife Luz; her daughter Grace and her husband Bruce and their daughter Victoria; her son Jason and his wife Annie and their sons Alexander and Thomas; her grand-niece Andrea Aguilar (nee Cronberg); grand-nephew Christopher Cronberg; and her niece-in-law Julie Cronberg.
Visitation will be Friday, May 30, 2025 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Straub, Catalano & Halvey Funeral Home, 55 E Main Street in Wappingers Falls, NY. Nancy’s Funeral Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 31, 2025 at Zion Episcopal Church in Wappingers Falls, NY, relatives and friends are encouraged to attend. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Zion Episcopal Church in Nancy’s name. To send the family a personal condolence, please visit our website at www.StraubCatalanoHalvey.com.
