Nellie Jo Yannarella passed away on January 1, 2025 at the age of 84. She was a kind and generous spirit who found great joy in the smallest pleasures. She volunteered at Saint Joseph's Catholic church on the funeral luncheon and thrift shop committees and would willingly help anyone who needed her. Her smile lit up a room upon entering; her leaving this world is a profound loss to all who knew her. Nellie Jo loved dancing, cooking, traveling, and reading followed by a short nap. She lived life to the fullest and enjoyed playing games and talking with her family and friends. She was born in Youngstown, OH on October 17, 1940 and married Anthony Yannarella in 1962. A military wife, she enjoyed living overseas and in several different states before settling in Hampton, VA. She worked for the city for nearly 30 years in different departments, but loved working at the Hampton Coliseum the most, where she met with rock stars, circus animal tamers, trapeze artists, and monster truck drivers, all charmed by her open-hearted excitement of their craft. Although she is gone, she will live in our hearts forever.

She is survived by her children, Michael, Laura, and Carol; grandchildren Nicholas Yannarella, Winston, Michelle, and Vivian Thompson; and brother Roger Moses. She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Betty Moses, her husband Anthony, and her son Mark.

The family will receive friends at R. Hayden Smith Funeral Home on Wednesday, January 8, 2025 from 5:30pm-6:30pm. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 11am on Thursday, January 9, 2025 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Hampton. Interment with her husband in Arlington National Cemetery will follow at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations in her memory to the Alzheimer's Association.