Anna Louise "Nina" Sottile, 84, of Rochester, passed away April 21,2022. Nina was the loving wife of the late Samuel B. Sottile, Sr.; dear mother of Sam Sottile, Jr., of Oxford, Michigan, Prof. Francis Sottile (Prof. Sarah Witherspoon), of College Station, Texas, Lawrence Sottile, of Rochester, Ben Sottile (Lisa Lockerman), of Mission Viejo, California and Joseph Sottile (David Kalmar), of Napa, California; cherished grandmother of Anthony, Daniel, Leah, Maria and Samuel; and sister of Constance Reppuhn (Richard Spitzer), of Saginaw, Michigan. Nina was preceded in death by her husband of 45 years, Samuel B. Sottile, Sr. (2005); her mother and step-father, Eleanor (1991) and Lawrence Sierchio (1984); her father, Dr. Alphonse Cantelmo (1959); her father-in law and mother-in law, Francesco (1964) and Grazia (1984) Sottile; and her brother-in law David Reppuhn (2007); and all her sisters- and brothers-in-law from her husband, Sam's side of the family.
Nina was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1937, and the family moved to Michigan in 1949. She graduated as valedictorian from Berkley High School, in Berkley, Michigan, and received the prestigious Ford Scholarship in 1955. She received her bachelor's and master's degrees in Education from Eastern Michigan University before starting her long career as a teacher. She worked mainly in the Utica Community Schools, where she taught special education until her retirement in 2007.
While at Eastern Michigan, Nina's best friend, Donna Sottile (Barry Shorthouse), introduced her to Donna's uncle Sam, whom she eventually married. Sam and Nina were married in 1960 at St. Lawrence Church in Utica and started their family of five boys shortly thereafter. Nina put her teaching career on hold to start and raise her family full-time in 1962. She later resumed teaching in 1978, at Eppler Junior High School in Utica, where Sam and Nina worked together until Sam's retirement in 1991.
Sam and Nina took advantage of the long summer breaks that their teaching career afforded, in order to take their young family traveling throughout the Eastern United States. This allowed the family to see a breadth of historical sites, and to attend art fairs, where they exhibited their metal sculptures. They were fixtures at several local art fairs, including Arts and Apples, the Rochester Art Fair, and the Ann Arbor Art Fair.
As avid skiers, they introduced their children to the sport, and managed the ski clubs for Eppler Jr. High and St. Andrew Catholic Church. After retirement, Nina spent time volunteering at St. Andrew and Meadowbrook Hall; traveling to see her sons and grandchildren; and knitting caps for babies and chemotherapy patients. She was an avid lover of animals, especially dogs, and was a loving dog-mother and dog-grandmother to both her and her sons' faithful pets, including Belle, Pepper, Champion, Sparky (I, II and III), Tiny, Minnie (I and II), Ginger (I and II), Candy, Shadow, Tinker, Bella, Zara, Bosko, and Calvin.
Please join the family at the Potere-Modetz Funeral Home, 339 Walnut Boulevard, Rochester, MI 48307, on Thursday, April 28, 2022, 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm; or at the Bacarella Funeral Home, 1201 South Telegraph Road, Monroe, MI 48161, on Sunday, May 1, 2022, from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
A funeral mass will be held Friday, April 29, 2022, 11:00 am, with an instate time of 10:30 am, at St. Andrew Catholic Church, 1400 Inglewood, Rochester. A second funeral mass is scheduled for Monday May 2, 2022, 10:00 am, with an instate time of 9:00 am at Saint Michael the Archangel Church, 502 W Front St, Monroe, MI 48161. Nina will be interred alongside her late husband at St. Joseph Cemetery in Monroe, following the services.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Leader Dogs for the Blind, Covenant House of Michigan and St Jude's Children's Research Hospital.
Online condolences and special memories may be shared with the family by visiting the obituary page at www.bacarellafuneralhome.com .