Nellie (Svelnis) Pezwick, 98, of Norwood, passed away on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, surrounded by the love, comfort, and care of family at her home in Norwood.

Nellie was born on December 16, 1927 in South Boston. She was the daughter of the late Gaspar and Mary (Bislis) Svelnis. She grew up on I Street alongside her six brothers. Her parents had immigrated from Lithuania in search of a new beginning and opened a bakery where the entire family worked tirelessly. Nellie loved sharing stories from her childhood in Southie—some filled with joy, others marked by hardship.

She met her husband, John, at a polka dance, and together they raised five children in Norwood. Life brought profound loss: John passed away when Nellie was just 43, and her son Billy died tragically in 1976. Through grief, she became remarkably resilient—resourceful, independent, and endlessly determined. She mastered household repairs, took up gardening and beekeeping, enrolled in auto repair and furniture‑building classes, and was always painting, fixing, or improving something around her home. Nellie was a bundle of energy, always in motion, always helping.

Over the years, Nellie held many jobs. She worked at the family bakery in Southie and began working at the Filene’s Basement at just 14, taking the bus from South Boston to sell war bonds and gift‑wrap items. After marrying, she worked at Eddie’s Diner on Route One in Walpole, then DW Jewelry and later helped her brother Joe at his laundromat. She never stopped moving: cooking, working, weeding, planning, renovating, and caring for others. She cared for her mother, who lived to 99, then for her brother Larry, and later for her son Paul after his stroke. She babysat her grandchildren with the same devotion she gave to every part of her life.

Nellie found joy in the Norwood Garden Club, where her love of flowers and growing things flourished. And every Fourth of July, she claimed her favorite spot at the Norwood parade—setting up her chair hours before the festivities began. Nellie also enjoyed all the activities at the Norwood Senior Center.

She was preceded in death by her husband John; her sons Billy and Paul; and her six brothers—Vinnie, Joseph, Larry, Frank, John, and Alfred. She is survived by her children: Jean Hauck and her husband David; Marianne McCready and her husband Jerry Sumner; and Steve Pezwick and his partner Cathy Davis. She leaves behind her grandchildren Stephanie Johnson and her husband Chris, Julianne McCready, and Christopher McCready and his wife Janie, as well as her great‑grandchildren Noah and Addie Johnson and Luci McCready.

Visiting hours will be held on Saturday, July 25th from 9:00–10:30 AM at Kraw‑Kornack Funeral Home, 1248 Washington Street, Norwood. A Funeral Service will follow at 10:30 AM in the funeral home.

Nellie will be laid to rest in Highland Cemetery in Norwood

In memory of Nellie, donations may be made to either the Norwood Senior Center, 275 Prospect Street, Norwood, MA 02062 or Hope Health Hospice directly at https://www.hopehealthco.org/ways-to-give/donatenow/.