Nicole Schiaffino Hagen Siomos, retired New York City teacher, passed away in Great Barrington, where she lived for the past 17 years. She was born in Staten Island, N.Y., on January 31, 1942, to Michael and Marie (née Carves) Schiaffino.
Nicole grew up in Great Kills in Staten Island and attended New Dorp High School where she was a cheerleader. When she was a teenager, she counted the votes that named the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. She was a graduate of Wagner College and Richmond College and taught elementary school at P.S. 53 and P.S. 36 for over 30 years.
Above all else, Nicole loved her family, her pets, and her garden in the Berkshires and the wild animals that visited her every day. She traveled many times to her favorite city, Paris, and to Italy in search of her ancestry. She was also an outstanding cook and seamstress.
Nicole was predeceased by her ex-husband John Siomos and her brother Michael Schiaffino. She is survived by her son Matthew Hagen; her daughter Jessica Cappelli; her beloved grandchildren, Rhiannon Hagen (Jeremy Rodrigues), Wes Hagen (Ashton Smith), Laura Cappelli (Robert Dancks), and Ian Cappelli (Emily Tarnawa); her great-grandson Jude Carroll; her nephew Keith Schiaffino; her ex-husband Paul Hagen; many Hagen, Carves, and Schiaffino relatives; as well as many dear friends.
As per Nicole’s wishes there will be no service. The family requests donations be made on her behalf to Berkshire Humane Society directly or in care of Finnerty & Stevens Funeral Home, 426 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230. To send remembrances to her family, please visit the funeral home’s website.
