Nancy’s obituary:

Nancy Ellen (Hanrahan) Ruocco died on August 29, 2023 at the age of 88 with family by her side in Evanston, Illinois. Nancy was born on February 20, 1935 in Tarrytown, New York.

Nancy was raised in Bronxville, New York and enjoyed many years of traveling into New York City and always considered herself a New Yorker at heart. Very early on Nancy discovered the wonder of music, specifically classical piano. The piano would prove both a personal and professional ally for most of her long life. Classical music gave Nancy comfort in times of personal difficulty, and it motivated her to gift her music and skills to many students over the years. Nancy taught piano to students of all ages for over sixty years and was an active member and officer until her death of the North Shore Music Teachers Association in the Chicago area. Despite several cross-Atlantic moves between the United States and Italy, Nancy was always able to find a way to pass on her love, and share her great talent, for classical piano.

After graduating from Trinity College in Washington D.C. in 1956, Nancy boldly left the United States and pursued a Masters in Piano Performance at the Villa Schifanoia in Florence, Italy (at the time a Vatican property). During Nancy’s stay in Italy, through a series of fate driven moments, she would meet Antonio (Tony) Gaetano Ruocco. They were married on October 4, 1958 in Fiesole, Tuscany. Their love affair and long marriage are of family lore.

As a reader Nancy was unmatched. Nancy, together with Tony, gifted their children and eleven grandchildren a deep appreciation of ideas and art in all its forms.  Family gatherings were never short of probing conversation, laughter, and love.

Nancy and Tony set out to offer their children the very best educational experiences they could wherever they lived; and they took great pride in their undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Michigan, Yale University, Northwestern University, Thunderbird School of Global Management, and New York University.

Nancy is survived by her four children and eleven grandchildren – Elena, Bill, David (and his wife Tiasha Fernando), and Min Bachrach of Yardley, PA; Beppe, Emanuela, Elizabeth, Matthew, Penelope and Alexandra Ruocco of Florence, Italy; Alberto, Regina, Kate (and her husband Adam Meek), Jack, and Meg Ruocco of Northbrook, IL; Paola, Mike, Gianni, and Matteo Ruocco Mertz of Skokie, IL. Additional surviving relatives include her sister Mary Beth Cleary-Phipps and her husband Howard Phipps; in Italy, her beloved sister-in-law Giulia, and the children and grandchildren of her six in-laws. Nancy is predeceased by her husband Tony of 65 years, and by her parents Ellen Elizabeth and William Ignatius Hanrahan.

The funeral mass will be held at the Sheil Catholic Center on the Northwestern University campus, located at 2110 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois, on Wednesday, December 20, 2023, at 11:00am. The ashes of Antonio Gaetano and Nancy Ellen Ruocco will be buried at a later date in the Lawncroft Cooperative Cemetery, 1740 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield, Connecticut. A private burial service will be held at that time. Donations may be made online in Nancy Ellen Ruocco’s name to the North Shore Music Teachers Association. www.nsmta.org/in-memoriam-nancy-ruocco.