Ellender Nancy Collis Romano

Ellender Nancy Collis Romano passed peacefully at the age of 94 on July 27, 2022 at Connecticut Hospice in Branford, CT surrounded by her loving family.  She was born on July 3, 1928 in Ward SC to Florence Hall Roland and James Milton Roland.  Sadly, her father passed when she was a baby.  She was then raised by Jefferson Collis and Bessie Roland Collis of Commerce St, Old Fort, NC who she regarded as her parents. 

A long-time resident of Milford and West Haven, CT, she was the widow of Anthony J. Romano.  She is survived by four daughters --  Madeline Romano (Thomas Walsh) of Old Lyme, CT; Cheryl Romano (Rick Peters) of Yachats, OR; Rita Romano of Blairsville, GA; and Besse Marra (Richard) of West Haven, CT, as well as grandsons Anthony Marra of Wiscasset, ME and Steven Marra of West Haven, CT.  She leaves her cousin, JD Roland (Kathy) of Old Fort, who she loved as a brother, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.  All of her siblings predeceased her. 

After graduating from Old Fort High School in the 1940s, Ellender moved to Connecticut, met her husband Anthony, a decorated World War II veteran and raised her family.  She was an employee of Pratt Whitney and Sikorsky Aircraft for 26 years.  Later in life she attended the University of New Haven. 

After the death of her husband Anthony and upon her retirement, she relocated back to her beloved Old Fort to be near her cousins and siblings and the Great Smoky Mountains. She returned to Connecticut 5 years later when her grandsons were born.

Ellender was a long-time member of Grace Baptist Church in Milford CT.  She was a Past Royal Matron of the Order of the Amaranth, Arrowhead Court #23 Marion NC and Past Worthy Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star, Lucia Chapter #25 Milford CT.  She received the Grand Cross of Color from the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls. 

Ellender will be greatly missed for her laughter, her stories of growing up in the mountains, antics with her siblings and cousins, tales of her travels around the country and her yearly summer trips back home to North Carolina.    

The family will receive friends on Saturday, September 17, 2022 from 10:00 until 11:00 a.m. at Beam Funeral Service. A graveside service will follow at Old Fort City Cemetery.