Edna “Nannie” MacNeil, 88, of Newtonville, died peacefully on June 18, 2020, surrounded in spirit by her beloved family.
She will be deeply missed by her 5 children and their spouses, Frederick MacNeil, Patricia MacNeil and Victor Serafini, Deborah and Wil Davis, Joseph and Michelle MacNeil and Dianne (Sadie) and Frank Bianco.
In addition, she loved her 4 grandchildren and their spouses- Frankie Bianco and his wife Krista, Nichole Bianco, Sonny Jannoni and his wife Lindsey, Alexandra Morrison, and 6 great-grandchildren- Bella, Eila, Joseph, Julianna, Sophia, and Adriana who will all miss her very much.
Nannie was 1 of 12 siblings born to a family in Wallace, Nova Scotia in 1931. She was adopted by Fred & Anna Jotry and moved to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia when she was 9 years old. After her adopted father passed away in 1947, she moved to Boston with her adopted mother. She met her future husband Joseph MacNeil, who was also from Nova Scotia at a dance in Boston. Together, they bought a home and raised 5 children in Newton. After her husband passed away in 1970, Nannie did whatever it took to provide a secure and stable home for her 5 children. She worked as a 3rd shift supervisor at a plastics company and served as the Caretaker to the Admiral McCrea and Margaret Williams families in Chestnut Hill for many years. She loved and was loved by everyone she worked with during her career. In addition to raising her own children, Nannie’s heart and home were always open to neighborhood children in need of a stable home life. Throughout her life she provided shelter and support to friends, family and neighbors in need, and she expressed her appreciation to those who were kind to her with the best homemade chocolate chip cookies in the world. She loved everyone she met unconditionally and didn’t judge anyone.
Private family services will be held at the John C. Bryant Funeral Home and a celebration
of her life will be scheduled for all who loved her once the COVID-19 restrictions have ended. Nannie’s family asks that you send contributions in her memory to Good Shepard Community Hospice, 90 Wells Ave., Newton, MA 02459.
In memory of Nannie, please bake chocolate chip cookies for everyone who is kind to you.