Nellie Catherine Perone

Nellie Catherine Perone (Née Lakowitz) died peacefully at Talbot Hospice on January 12, 2021. She was born on December 20, 1929 at home in Belle Mead NJ to Peter and Catherine Lakowitz, Polish immigrants. She was the youngest of 8 children, speaking Polish at home but learning English at school. Her early years were spent working on their struggling family farm. The family did not own a motorized vehicle and did not have electricity until she reached high school. She graduated from Somerville High School in 1948 and was engaged to Dominic Perone, who was also born to immigrant parents who did not speak English at home. In that era it was frowned upon to marry outside ones ethnic group, but after years of postponement due to economic hardships of wartime, draft of her brothers and fiancé, and caring for dying parents, she married her Italian fiancé, Dominic Perone, in 1955. She was close to her sisters-in-law and learned to cook Italian. Nellie was a dedicated homemaker and supported her husband’s plumbing business. The couple lived in Hillsborough and were members of St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in East Millstone NJ and the Somerset County Senior Citizen’s Association until moving to Whiting NJ in 2006. Following her husband’s death in 2015, Nellie moved to Easton, MD, to live with her daughter and family. She was known for being kind and generous, a good cook and the family historian on farm life during the Depression and WW II - until illness took away her memory in later years.

Nellie Perone is survived by her children, Patty (John) Plaskon of Easton, MD, Vincent (Donna) Perone of Portsmouth, VA, and Michael (Catherine) Perone of Bernardsville NJ, 8 grandchildren: Michael (Liz) Perone of East Grand Rapids, MI, Natalie Perone (Joseph Zitarelli) of Philadelphia PA, Thomas Perone, Milo Perone, and Eddie Perone of Bernardsville, NJ, Sonya Plaskon of Baltimore, MD, Sam (Lia) Plaskon of Easton, MD, and James (Jordan) Plaskon, and a great- grandchild, Kent Plaskon of Easton, MD. She also leaves behind many nieces and nephews and a sister-in-law, Eva Lakowitz of Whiting, NJ . She was predeceased by Dominic Perone, her husband of 60 years; siblings Joseph Lakowitz, Andrew Lakowitz, Charles Lakowitz, Helen Mazey, Sophie “Ginger” Moeller, Frances “Midge” Lakowitz and Marion Lakowitz; and 2 infant grandchildren, Laura Elizabeth Perone and John Daniel Plaskon.

A visitation will be held at Fellows, Helfenbein & Newman Funeral home on January 16th 9-10 am, followed by a funeral Mass at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Easton MD at 10:30. There will also be a visitation at The Cusick Funeral Home in Somerville NJ on January 23rd at 10:30, followed by a graveside service at the Cedar Hill Cemetery in East Millstone NJ at noon. All services will follow masking and social distancing guidelines.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Nellie Perone’s honor may be made to The Parkinson’s Foundation, The Alzheimer’s Association or Talbot Hospice Foundation.