5 minute read
The Pavones: Together as a Family
Resident Feature
The Pavone Family Has Created Something Special in Their Neighborhood
by Craig Whitney
Nick and Theresa Pavone got married and started their family in Marple fifteen years ago, and since then, they have grown as a family and as a neighborhood community.
Theresa and Nick Pavone
All photos by Michele Moran Photography www.MicheleMoranPhotography.com
Only one generation ago, Nick’s family was living in Italy about 4,000 miles from Marple, and now Nick, his parents, and his wife and children all live in Marple on what Nick proudly calls “the greatest street in the world.”
The Pavones have two daughters, Giovanna and Alessandra. Giovanna, or Gia, is thirteen and her younger sister Alessandra, also called Allie is eleven. They do everything together, pitching in softball in the spring, playing soccer in the fall and basketball in the winter.
Allie runs track and cross country as well, and Theresa was very proud of how seriously Allie takes her sports. Not only is Allie naturally very fast, but she also has a fiercely competitive mentality that pushes her to always be the best at what she is doing. In addition to her athletic success, even though academics may come easier to Gia, Allie also manages to get great grades in school out of determination.
Gia is more calm than Allie, though they participate in many of the same activities. When Gia isn’t competing in softball, soccer and basketball, she loves designing and drawing. Nick and Theresa raved about how artistically gifted Gia is. Several months ago, she drew a wildflower that she found in the yard, and the painting currently hangs in their kitchen.
Allie and Gia have very busy schedules all year round, but Nick and Theresa make a point to always get to their games, and for the two girls to be at each other's games.
The Pavones' "third child" is Steeler, a five-year-old five-pound Maltese. Theresa happily labels him a "mama’s boy," which was punctuated by the fact that Steeler was laying on her lap during the whole interview.
Alessandra (Allie, 11) and Giovanna (Gia, 13) Pavone, with their dog Steeler
Several years ago, Nick and Theresa installed a bell on the back door by hanging tiny cat-toy bells on the doorknob with a Christmas ribbon and letting it dangle to the floor. “It took about five weeks for Steeler to catch on,” Theresa explained. “But one day I was in the kitchen and heard the bell ringing. I walked in and saw Steeler sitting by the door looking up at me. Now, whenever he wants to be let out, he smacks at the bell and it rings through the house."
Nick’s family lives right down the street from them, despite his parents growing up in Italy. His parents moved to America in the 1960s and started their family in West Philadelphia. Nick grew up there and would attend Temple University, where he met Theresa. While the two began dating at school, Nick’s parents moved from West Philly to Marple, and soon afterward Theresa’s family would too. After graduating, the two moved back in with their families and dated for another seven years.
Nick works as a plumber for Bryn Mawr Hospital after working three years as a securities analyst at the Philadelphia stock exchange. While working in the stock market, Nick came to a realization that he was unsatisfied with an office environment, and made the bold decision to change his career trajectory completely. "I like putting things together and learning how systems work. I like making things work and seeing the finished product,” Nick explained. “Plus, the work hours get me home by 3:30 in time to take the kids to all of their sports and activities.”
Theresa went to school for nursing. She worked at Lankenau Hospital as a nurse while pursuing a master’s degree to become a nurse practitioner. She currently works as a cardiac nurse practitioner at Lankenau. "I like nursing, I like listening to patients’ stories and making them feel heard. I like knowing that, perhaps, I could do something to help them feel better,” Theresa said.
The Pavone Family
Nick and Theresa take great pride in their street, both considering it a shining example of the classic community neighborhood. Many of the people on the street don’t currently have children in the house, and are usually happy to come over and help out whenever possible. Their close friend Rosemary is often over their house having dinner in the backyard or talking by the fire pit, and was the one who recommended them for this magazine.
Their other friend, Skip, is always eager to come over and spend time with Steeler when they need him to. When the family went to Niagara Falls together this summer, Skip watched after Steeler for the whole trip.
There are many neighborhood activities that happen every year and are examples of neighbors going above and beyond to spend time with each other. Every Halloween after the kids are done trick-or-treating, everyone gets together in the Pavones' backyard and hangs out by the fire pit. Over Christmas this year, there was a street-wide gingerbread house party. Every summer there are several block parties that take up the street, but the event that the Pavones took the most pride in was Fry Fest.
Fry Fest occurs on Black Friday every year, and has become a tradition that even Gia and Allie have started looking forward to weeks before. Nick and Theresa have always cooked two turkeys for Thanksgiving, one in the oven and a second in a fryer. One year, Nick had the great idea to take his fryer outside the next day and set it up by the street for whoever had leftovers. People would bring their leftovers, from extra turkey to prime rib to sliced potatoes, and everything would go into the fryer. Fry Fest has grown to over thirty people, with tables set up all down the street with every fried food imaginable.
The Pavone Family
The street is what every neighborhood should strive to be: social, generous, kind and connected. Seeing everyone the day after Thanksgiving sharing food and wine at the same table, it is never more clear that their street is a second family.
The Pavones have been a central part in the creation of something special on their street, and something they hope to protect and grow every year.
