Nicola DeFrenza

Nicola DeFrenza, 84, of Hawthorne N.Y. passed away on August 17, 2022. He was born in Valenzano(Bari), Italy on May 9, 1938 to Rocco and Carmela DeFrenza.  Nicola leaves behind his loving wife Nancy of 56 years of marriage and his children Lina (Francesco), Rocco (Lisa) and Francesca (Jason) and his 8 grandchildren.  He is also survived by his four brothers Giuseppe, Antonio, Filippo and Franco DeFrenza and loving sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Nicola’s father passed away when he was a young child. At the age of 15, Nicola and his older brother Giuseppe traveled to Venezuela, South America to earn money and support their family back in Italy.  After 7 years, he returned to Italy and met his soon to be wife, Nancy.  In 1965, they married, and the following year moved to the United States. Nicola being a hard worker, became self-employed in Bronx, NY and raised his family as a shoe repairman for over 30 years.   Reposing, at Hawthorne Funeral Home on Sunday, August 21, 2022, from, 3-7 pm. Funeral Mass, Monday, August 22, at Holy Rosary Church in Hawthorne, NY at 10:00 am, followed by Entombment at Ferncliff Mausoleum, Hartsdale, N.Y. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research https://www.michaeljfox.org or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital https://www.stjude.org

HAWTHORNE FUNERAL HOME

21 West Stevens Ave.

Hawthorne, New York 10532

914-769-4404