Nicoletta I. Sorice

With love and deep sorrow, we share the passing of our beloved mother, Nicoletta Isabella D'Avanzo Sorice, on the morning of Saturday, September 13th, 2025, at her home in Deerfield Beach, Florida. She was independent, vibrant, and full of life at the age of 88 years. She will be greatly missed by her family and countless friends.

We are here to honor and celebrate the extraordinary life of our mother — a woman of strength, resilience, and love, whose journey touched countless lives.

Our mother was born in 1936 in Naples, Italy, where she was raised by her mother, Domenica, alongside her brother, Tonino. At just 14 years old, she bravely left behind her childhood home to begin a new life in America, first in Louisiana, and later in New York, supported by the loving Stella family. She carried Naples in her heart yet embraced the promise of America with grace and determination.

She married our father, Paolo, himself an immigrant from Italy, and together they built a family. They bought a home, raised us three children — Sabato, Teresa, and Maria — and created a family rooted in love, hard work, and tradition. For 20 years, our home in Queens was filled with the smells of her Italian cooking, family gatherings, and the warmth of her hospitality.  In 1982 our family moved to South Florida, where she enjoyed many happy years living close to her beloved brother Tony, her sister-in-law Tonina, and her nephews Nino, Domenick (Lynne), Robert, Frank, and Michael (Andi) and all their children and extended families.

My mother dedicated her career to the Social Security Administration, serving faithfully until the age of 70. She was a woman of unwavering work ethic, loyalty, and service — traits she carried into every part of her life. After my father’s passing, she was blessed with a loving 25-year partnership with longtime friend Bob Beck. Together, they shared life’s joys, companionship, travel, and mutual devotion.  His children Donna (Danny), Elesa (Shannon), Robert (Teresa) and his grandchildren Kelsey, Cameron, Spencer, and Zachary, shared many memories and will all miss Nicky.

As “Nonna,” she shone brightly. She adored her three grandchildren — Matthew, Isabella, and Paolo — and found great joy in watching them grow. She celebrated Matthew’s success as he became an attorney and was thrilled to attend his wedding to Rachel last October. She cherished every visit to the west coast, and vacations she spent with Isabella and Paolo. And she never hesitated to fly to share in the joy of many birthday and graduation celebrations. Nonna was thrilled to hear about Isabella’s college graduation and latest work accomplishments. She was excited to hear about Paolo’s extensive European travel adventures while studying abroad in Amsterdam.

Our mother never stopped learning and striving. In her later years, she returned to school, first earning her degree from Broward College and then, at age 81, proudly receiving her bachelor’s in Italian Linguistics from Florida Atlantic University. To see her walk across that stage, diploma in hand, honored by the president of the university, was one of her proudest achievements — and one of ours too.

She even went further, preserving her story for future generations. In 2023, she published her memoir, My Journey to America: Memoirs of a Neapolitan Woman. With this gift, she shared her childhood memories, her challenges, and her triumphs with over 100 family and friends. It was not just her story — it was our family’s story, and it will live on forever.

Beyond her accomplishments, what defined my mother most was her heart. She was fiercely loyal, endlessly generous, and always ready to welcome others into her home with a warm meal and a listening ear. She entertained beautifully, but more importantly, she gave love abundantly. She was our family historian, our storyteller, and the keeper of countless memories.

She leaves behind three children who adored her, sons-in-law Robert and Norberto, and daughter-in-law Kathy, who cherished her, grandchildren who will never forget her love, and countless friends who were touched by her kindness and spirit.

Her life was one of courage, determination, and love. She faced challenges with dignity, celebrated triumphs with joy, and gave of herself to everyone she met. Though our hearts ache in her absence, we find peace in knowing her story, her love, and her legacy will continue to guide us.

Mom, thank you for being our anchor, our teacher, and our inspiration. We will carry your love and memory with us always.

Sabato, Teresa, Maria

Robert, Norberto, Kathy

Matthew, Rachel, Isabella & Paolo

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM on Friday, September 19 at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Boca Raton.  Entombment will follow at the Boca Raton Mausoleum.

In lieu of flowers the family requests expressions of sympathy be made to St. Jude's Children's Hospital or Trustbridge Hospice.