JOANNE DE NICOLA's Obituary
January 3, 1957 – May 21, 2023 Joanne (Samergedes) De Nicola, the daughter of Mary Carratt and Steven Samergedes, was born in Avon Park, Florida and resided in Miami, Florida.
As a child, Joanne loved playing Barbies and beauty parlor, laying on the beach at Crandon Park and attending annual AHEPA national conventions. After graduating from Miami Senior High School as a member of the National Honor Society, Joanne took classes at Miami-Dade Community College, then transferred to Florida State University, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in history.
After graduating in 1980, Joanne returned to Miami and began a career at Norwegian Cruise Line (1980-2008). She quickly fell in love with cruising, and often boarded a ship for the weekend and disembarked just in time for work on Monday. Around this time, Joanne met her future husband, Albert, through mutual friends at a club in Miami. They married six years later. Thanks to Joanne’s photo skills, family memories boogeying to ABBA on the dancefloor and enjoying poolside cocktails while cruising the Caribbean, Central and South America, Alaska, Bermuda, and Europe were captured on film.
When Joanne wasn't traversing the globe, she enjoyed crafting hobbies like painting ornaments and plateware and making jewelry for family and friends. She and Albert were longtime season-ticket holders for the Marlins, and became friendly with the players their daughter, Christina, now writes about for MLB.com. Every year, you could count on Joanne to volunteer at St. Sophia's Greek Festival and sneaking away to watch her son, Steven, dance.
Ever the fashionista, Joanne wouldn't leave the house without her stylish sunglasses or Chanel No. 5. She loved shopping for her family and finding a good deal as a self-proclaimed Maxxinista. In later years, she welcomed makeup and skincare-related gifts Steven would send from work.
You would be hard-pressed to find a bigger Hallmark movie fan. Joanne could provide the plot for any of the films, especially the Christmas ones. She loved the holiday season and took on decorating the house as a full-time job with her ceiling-scratching Christmas trees and villages. Joanne loved to have people over to spread good tidings and cheer.
The holidays weren’t the only reason for Joanne to throw a party. Afternoons spent in the backyard pool with family and friends became the stuff of legend, guaranteed to have Pepsi, pizza and a Publix chicken tender platter (Publix was her second home and practically everyone who worked there knew her). During the COVID-19 pandemic, she enjoyed trying out Rachael Ray recipes on her new air fryer while working from home as a member of the University of Miami's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (2010-23).
While Joanne was the sweetest woman you could meet, she could be quite the prankster. As a kid, she would fib about her sister, Stephanie, or crack jokes about secrets from her past, like being an ice skater. Joanne was sure to keep you entertained and loved by all who crossed paths with her.
Joanne is survived by her husband of 37 years, Albert, two children, Christina and Steven, and sister Stephanie.
A viewing will be held at Van Orsdel (4600 S.W. 8th St.) on Tuesday, May 30, 2023 between 7-9 p.m. A memorial service will be held at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church (2401 S.W. 3rd Ave.) on Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at 10 a.m. by the Rev. Spiro D. Bobotas. An interment will follow at Woodlawn Park Cemetery (3260 S.W. 8th St.). In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donating to the University of Miami's Obstetrical Research Fund until a new account is created in her honor.
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