Nancy Zambito

Nancy D. Zambito (nee Tompkins), age 60 of Wayne, died peacefully at home on Wednesday, December 12, 2018.  She was surrounded by her loving family who were all gathered at her bedside.

Nancy most recently had been the “School Nurse” at DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne for eleven years before her illness forced her to resign in October of 2017.  She loved working there and cherished the many friends she made, as well as all the wonderful students she became acquainted with over the years.  She became a Registered Nurse in 1981, after completing her schooling at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Rutherford.  She began nursing at Wayne General Hospital and remained there for about twelve years before leaving to become a full-time mother.  Once her children had grown to be teenagers, she saw an ad on the local TV station for the DePaul nursing position.  She applied and was hired virtually on the spot!  The job was a perfect fit for her and she was truly in her element there.

Nancy was truly a selfless individual, always focused on everyone else’s needs. It was simply her nature to take care of everyone, and she did it well.  This was true in all aspects of her life, especially with her family.  Her children recall her being a devoted mother, almost excessively so!  There was nothing she wouldn’t do for them.  She was a proud mother and felt so blessed to see her daughter Kelly get married to her wonderful husband Matt and her son James graduate college with both events occurring in May of 2017.   Her love extended to the family pet Kobi – a Norwich terrier which gave her endless joy.  Turtles were her ‘spirit animal’ and she had many turtle collectables.  When her friends at DePaul assembled a team to participate in a cancer walk to support Nancy’s cause, they adopted the name “The Purple Turtles” in her honor. She was so touched when DePaul dedicated the 2018 school yearbook to her.

Nancy was also very handy and capable of fixing lots of things, a skill she learned from her father.  She had her own yellow toolbox for projects around the house, and she would even tackle some electrical tasks!  She was a wonderful decorator and her home and shore home are beautifully decorated.  She enjoyed having family and friends over the house and hosted holiday family gatherings at Easter and Christmas, where she got to display her Christmas Village collection which took her many hours to set up each year.  Nancy was an amazing cook and hostess, carefully planning and putting together wonderful meals with beautiful decorations.

Nancy re-met her husband Matthew in 1984 as they had actually known each other since high school at Wayne Valley where they graduated from in 1977.  Matthew took her to “The Aspen” in Parsippany for their first date, and after dating for a year and falling in love and with a little nudging, he proposed.  They were married on November 8, 1986 at St. Mary’s Church in Pompton Lakes, followed by a honeymoon cruise to the Caribbean.  They settled in Rockaway Township upon their return, and eventually moved to Wayne in 1991.  Throughout the years, Nancy traveled to Europe, visited family in Japan, and enjoyed many destinations in the Caribbean.  Nancy loved scuba diving and there was no better place to do it!  Together, they have enjoyed thirty-two years of marriage and her husband and her family will miss her dearly.

Nancy is survived by her loving husband; Matthew of Wayne, two children; Kelly Rigoglioso and her husband Matthew of Wayne, James Zambito of Wayne, her parents; Donald and Sadako Tompkins of West Milford, one brother; Edward Tompkins and his wife Lori of West Milford, one sister; Judith Tompkins of Metuchen, two sisters-in-law; Theresa Pisano and her husband Dominic of Chatham and Mary Carla Hofsommer of Pompton Plains, two brothers-in-law; Michael Zambito and his wife Debra of Parsippany, and Salvatore Zambito and his wife Diane of Livingston, as well as many nieces, nephews, and dear friends.