Francis "Frank" Anthony Nardi, 96, of Harrisonburg, Va., passed away Oct. 7, 2012. He was born in Williamsport, Pa., on Nov. 22, 1915, son of the late Antonio Numa Nardi, an Italian immigrant from Diecimo, Italy, and Esther Barnesconi Nardi of Sunbury, Pa. His parents died when Frank was very young, and he was raised by his three older siblings and guardian, Aunt Rosie Vannucci. Frank enjoyed a variety of jobs in his younger years, including working in his family's fruit store, A Nardi & Sons. Frank graduated from St. Joseph's High School in Williamsport in 1934, attended Villanova University and graduated from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia on June 7, 1939, with a bachelor's of science degree in bacteriology.
He married Elizabeth "Betty" Marie Sullivan of Williamsport, Pa., on Jan. 25, 1941, at the Annunciation Catholic Church in Williamsport and went on to serve in the U.S. Navy as a Pharmacist Mate during World War II. Frank and Betty and their son Tom moved to Harrisonburg in 1946, where Frank began working as a microbiologist at Merck and Co., Inc. Frank worked for Merck for 34 years, retiring in 1980 as head of the Microbiology Inoculation Laboratory.
Frank and Betty raised six sons and one daughter, and developed deep friendships in the community that endured throughout their lives and across many generations. Frank's favorite hobby was offset printing, and he relished setting type for invitations and raffle tickets for friends and civic organizations. He was an avid stamp and coin collector, history buff and the family genealogist.
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Francis Anthony Nardi
His wife Betty preceded him in death on Sept. 4, 2008. His sister, Katherine Nardi Bruce, his brother, Ralph Nardi Sr., and his son-in-law, Lanny Steven Holsinger, also preceded him in death. He is survived by a sister, Dorothy Nardi Ribando, 101, of Hershey, Pa., and his seven children: Tom, Steve, J.P. Nardi and Beth Nardi Holsinger of Harrisonburg; David Nardi of Waynesboro, Va.; Jim Nardi and his wife Lynne Clark of Tacoma, Wash.; and Dan and Alyce Umberger Nardi of Doylestown, Pa. Frank was the proud Pop-Pop of Cris Nardi and her husband Tim White; Kathleen Nardi Sullivan and her husband Clyde Sullivan; Brennan Nardi and her husband Brad Czachor; Philip and Anne Marie Nardi, Emily and Natalie Holsinger, and Shannon and Katie Nardi; and the even prouder great-Pop-Pop of Chloe Czachor and Sinead and Kieran Nardi-White. He is also survived by a number of nieces and nephews: Polly and Bobby Ribando, Kay Tighe, Dottie Kinsman, Tony Bruce, and Ralph Nardi Jr.
Frank and Betty were members of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church and their church community will always be remembered as the most important piece that helped them adjust to a new life away from their beloved Williamsport.
Visitation will be on Friday evening, Oct. 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Kyger Funeral Home in Harrisonburg. A funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 13, at Blessed Sacrament Church. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in his honor to the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church Building Fund and Rockingham Memorial Hospital Hospice.
