Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory

Nina Ruane De Angelo of Crownsville, MD, lived her life as a bright light and an important voice for people, like herself, with invisible disabilities and rare diseases. In her short life, she had a great impact on the disability community that will live beyond her years. Nina, who was just 22 years old, died of complications from long-lasting health issues on October 31, 2023. 

Nina was born in Annapolis, MD in 2001 to Mary and Peter De Angelo, who especially shared Nina’s love of sports, including being avid followers of the New York Yankees and Villanova University Wildcats college basketball. Nina and her family also loved traveling together, highlighted by a trip to Italy in 2019. 

Nina attended The Summit School in Edgewater, MD through 8th grade, and The Gunston School in Centreville, MD for high school. Nina was currently a junior at The Catholic University of America, where she was studying Theology and earning top grades, despite all her health challenges. Nina aspired to be an author and content creator upon graduation, and spent the last summer completing a book publishing internship.

She was also an accomplished choir singer. In high school, Nina was selected to the Maryland All-Shore Senior Honors Choir and the Maryland All-State Senior Choir. She also earned the Gunston Chorale Capstone Graduation Award. At Catholic University, she had participated in the University Singers Choir, and studied Private Vocal Instruction.

Nina cherished her whole family and the friendships she formed with her peers and adults alike. She also had a special place in her heart for her golden doodle, Manny, who was a close companion of hers for the last 12 years. Nina was a flurry of activity, keeping up with everyone, even if it was just by text or email. She could chat on the phone for hours if you let her. She especially liked to be together in person with people, but that became more difficult for her to do over the last few years, as her illnesses impacted her more and more. 

Nina was devoutly Catholic, not only in a go-to-church every week way. She lived her faith. She chose Theology as her major at Catholic University because she wanted to know more than just the surface things about her faith. Her knowledge and understanding of Catholicism and the Church were a mile deep. Her curiosity about her faith was unbounded. Nina was a parishioner at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Annapolis, MD, and she enjoyed attending Mass or joining a group of Sisters to pray the rosary at Catholic University when her schedule allowed. 

Nina spent her free time as a choir singer, invisible disabilities advocate, writer, and artist. Nina submitted artwork for various art shows to celebrate and support the disability community in Anne Arundel County, MD. Nina’s recent artwork, entitled Invisible No More—about the challenges facing people with invisible disabilities—was featured in the 2023 Artists Without Limits Exhibit in Annapolis. She also spent a great deal of her time being a fierce advocate for people with invisible disabilities.

Nina is survived by her parents, Mary and Peter De Angelo, her grandparents, John and Peggy Basile of Cape Cod, MA, and Agnes and Eugene De Angelo of Belmar, NJ, and her many aunts, uncles, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her maternal grandmother, Wilma Basile, and her uncle, Michael Basile.

Friends are invited to celebrate Nina’s life at the Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory, 2973 Solomons Island Rd., Edgewater, MD on Monday, November 6 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 620 N. Bestgate Rd., Annapolis, MD on Tuesday, November 7 at 10:30 am. Interment at Lakemont Memorial Gardens will immediately follow the Mass.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to <a href="https://summitschool-bloom.kindful.com/">The Summit School</a>, Attn: Development Office, 664 Central Avenue East, Edgewater, MD 21037, as Summit was the foundation for her educational success that she enjoyed so much.

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Nina Ruane De Angelo

Nina Ruane De Angelo

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