Prestopino, Nancy

Nancy Prestopino

12/13/1943 - 9/3/2011

A memorial service for Nancy Lynn (Farrell) Prestopino, 67, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, at Meadowbrook Ranch in Magalia, Calif. She passed away Saturday, Sept. 3, 2011, in her Paradise, Calif., home, with her children by her side after courageously battling cancer for 10 years.

Nancy was born Dec. 13, 1943, in Natchez, Miss., to Robert and Jeanne Farrell. While growing up, she lived in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines, Iowa and Juneau, Alaska, before graduating in 1963 from the University of Denver, with a degree in political science.

She worked selling radio advertising in Denver, Washington, D.C., and Detroit, finally settling in San Francisco, where she met Chris Prestopino. They were married in Sausalito, Calif., on June 3, 1972, and moved to Paradise immediately after.

Nancy worked as a photographer for the Ridge Gazette newspaper, an aide at Pines Elementary School and later opened her own business teaching swimming lessons to hundreds of children. She retired from teaching lessons in 2005 and coached a master's fitness swim class at a local health club until July of this year.

While her children were young, she was a den mother for Cub and Boy Scouts, swim team president and taught enrichment classes at Paradise Elementary School. She home-schooled both her children for six months while the family toured the country in their Volkswagen bus.

Nancy loved the outdoors and could often be found bicycling in Ireland or France, hiking the Swiss Alps, cross-country skiing the Sierras or kayaking Paradise Lake with a fancy dress and hat. She loved photography, music, sketching, swimming, gardening, wine, politics, investing, dark chocolate, reading, travel and adventures of any kind. Her children, grandchildren, family, friends and dogs were the greatest joys in her life.

Though preceded in death by her husband, Chris, in 1994, she is survived by her favorite son, Matthew Prestopino, daughter-in-law, Fleur, and grandson, Ezio, all of San Mateo, Calif.; and her favorite daughter, Julie Van Roekel, son-in-law, Ryan, granddaughter, Nyah, and grandson, Noah, all of Paradise.

Memorial contributions can be made to Paradise Hospice, Ron Paul for President, or to your favorite charity.

Published Sept. 11, 2011, in The Gazette