Nancy D. Palmieri

Although she was so strong in life as to seem indestructible, Nancy Dana Palmieri passed away peacefully at home on the morning of April 16, 2026, at age 91, with her husband John by her side.  

Nancy Cooney was born in Newton, Massachusetts on August 18, 1934, arriving ahead of her twin brother, Robbie, and a few years after siblings Freddy and Jean. She moved to Swampscott at age ten.  With her passing comes the sad end of "The Crew" - a group of lively, kind (if mischievous) friends who graduated from Swampscott High School in 1952. The Crew were Nancy's friends for life and with her on Fisherman's Beach when she met the man she would marry five years later.

But first, she worked as a secretary in Boston and as a stewardess for United Airlines - ending up back in Boston when John was at MIT and they married on June 1, 1957.  There would be thirteen more moves during his career, and Nancy was happy to come back east to retire in Portsmouth, Rhode Island in 1997. 

Nancy and John both revered Navy - for him, it was the United States Navy he served in for more than 25 years; for her, it was the shade of blue. Nothing would provoke an exasperated sigh from her faster than the tired aphorism that "Navy wife was the toughest job in the Navy" but she worked hard all those years. While raising her four daughters - Dana, Lisa, Beth, Jennifer - she was a representative for Blackwelder's Furniture, a travel agent, and dedicated administrator for a local college even as she graciously hosted dozens of memorable parties when John was Shipyard Commander at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in the late 70's.

When Dana died of early onset Alzheimer's in 2017, Nancy told a daughter that while "nothing would ever be 'normal' again" she could still find joy.  Joy was close to "normal" for Nancy because to her "normal" meant laughing, making birthdays and Christmas magical, playing April O'Neil to her grandson's Leonardo, cloth napkins and candles for every dinner, winning over every stranger as friend.  And she refused to "let the old lady in" staying up to date on fashion and beautiful till the end. 

While age brings difficulties, John and Nancy laughed much in her closing years.  The best moment of each other's day was greeting the other in the morning with coffee and an Ina Garten blueberry muffin.  Mutually, they set an inspiring standard for what it meant to be devoted to each other in a marriage, proving Nancy's favorite adage: You can't go wrong with Navy Blue.

She was preceded in death by her daughter Dana Ann Drago, is survived by her husband John, daughters Lisa Shannon (Jim), Beth Palmieri (Scott Evans), Jennifer Palmieri (Jim Lyons), grandchildren Patrick (Maura McNulty), Casey (Carey Finchem) and Caroline Shannon; John (Hailey Cowan), Rebecca (Matt Coster) and Nick Drago; Elizabeth (Jimmy Ko) and Katherine Lyons; and five great grandchildren. Nancy was blessed by the friendship of Debbie Gosselin and dedicated caregivers at Southcoast health systems. In lieu of flowers, donations to Cameron Chocolates and Coffee - where granddaughter Caroline is a valued employee - are welcome at https://www.every1canwork.com/donate