Carmella "Carmi" Nigro

Carmella Angela Nigro passed away Friday, June 7, 2024, at the age of seventy-nine in Ankeny, Iowa. She lived her life in the Catholic faith, loved her family deeply, and was steadfast in her belief in God until the end. She passed with her family present and her children holding her hand.

Carmi was born January 11, 1945 to Sam and Jean (Donoho) Nigro in Omaha, Nebraska. Her mother died when she was four and she went to live in an orphanage with her brother Angelo. At the age of 12 Carmi went to live with her aunt and uncle in the Beaverdale neighborhood in Des Moines. She graduated from North High School in 1963 and attended Iowa Methodist School of Nursing. Upon graduation she went to work at Methodist Hospital. She had a lengthy career as a nurse for a private practice doctor, a senior care center, Equifax, Mercy Hospital and Portamedic.

She married Harold Silver and had two children, Chris and Angela. Carmi always made sure her children were provided for and the selfless service she practiced in nursing also applied to her children. She divorced and later married Allan Rauch and they raised their family on the east side of Des Moines in Grandview Park. They had a son, Todd who she called her baby boy throughout his life. She enjoyed watching her children participate in sports and loved taking them to the pool.

Chris and Angie’s friends always looked forward to visiting their home just to hang out with Carmi because she was so much fun. Her children and grandchildren often came to her home on Sundays for pasta dinners. She was an amazing cook. Everyone would sit around the dining room table, laugh, and enjoy their time together. Carmi loved cats. Her cats would talk to her which made her laugh, and they would follow her around. She was proud of her Italian heritage and enjoyed taking her grandchildren to the Santa Lucia festival in Omaha.

After Chris and Angie became adults, her focus was raising Todd. He joined the Air Force and was soon married. One of her favorite moments was when she went to Germany to visit Todd at Spangdahlem Air Base. Todd was diagnosed with leukemia and hospitalized in Maryland. Carmi dropped everything and retired early so she could care for her son. She was with him until the end of his life.

Carmi is survived by her children, Chris (Kristin) Silver and Angela (Joe) Chrismore; grandchildren, Kelly (Whitney) Silver and Spencer (Ethan) Silver, Stefan (Keyara) Adams and Lindsay Adams, Spencer (Kaitlin) Chrismore and Baylee Chrismore; great- grandchildren, Aspen and Evie Adams, Posie Chrismore, and one on the way, Sutton Adams; her brother, Angelo (Shirley) Nigro; and niece, Shannon Donaho.

Carmi was preceded in death by her father and mother and her beloved son Todd Rauch.

Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Friday, June 14, 2024 at Hamilton’s near Highland Memory Gardens, 121 NW 60th Avenue in Des Moines with services at 12:00 p.m. Private burial will follow at Glendale Cemetery.

The family would like to thank some of the special staff at Sunny View Care Center and Suncrest Hospice for loving and caring for Carmi. Her family is so grateful that she experienced love and compassion from those who cared for her and whose lives she touched.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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