Mrs. Genelda Valerie Jo Johnson LoFaso, known to everyone as Nelda, drew her first breath of earthly air on April 29, 1956, in Frankfurt, Germany, where her father was stationed with the CIA. She drew her last breath of earthly air on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, at her home in Onancock, surrounded by her family. At that same moment, she drew her first breath of heavenly air and was greeted by her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and a host of family and friends.
Nelda grew up in Falls Church, where she graduated from George Mason High School in 1974 and then attended NOVA college. It was around that time that she saw a Billy Graham film called “For Pete’s Sake” and accepted the invitation to become a Christian. Subsequently, Nelda attended Word of Life (WOL) Bible Institute in 1975 at Schroon Lake, N.Y., to learn more about the Christian life. She had a beautiful voice and loved to sing, so she joined the school choir and traveled to many churches around the country praising Jesus.
After graduating from WOL, she and some of her friends went to Washington Bible College in Lanham, Md., where she met her future husband, Anthony LoFaso. There she joined the Women’s Chorus to continue her love of singing. Nelda enjoyed living on campus and made some lifelong friends. Anthony graduated in 1979 and worked for a year as a part of the maintenance crew while waiting for Nelda to graduate in 1980. That summer they went on a mission trip together to Pordenone, Italy.
She married Anthony on Jan. 17, 1981, where rice and snow were thrown at them as they drove off. They both worked for the Bell Atlantic phone company until she left after her first son, Michael Anthony, was born in 1984. Eventually, they bought a house in Falls Church and Nelda became a stay-at-home mom.
They grew tired of the rat race of Northern Virginia and in April 1990, they moved to Onancock on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. On Dec. 20, 1991, she gave birth to her second son, Joshua David.
During the next 35 years, she homeschooled her boys, sang in a church choir at Onley United Methodist Church, performed in duets and trios, and was part of the worship team at the Harbour Church in Exmore.
Nelda loved animals and always had several cats and dogs living at her home. She and her best friend, Robin Savage, taught pet training classes that grew into a pet sitting business for Nelda after Robin was deceased. She took care of cats, dogs, horses, fish, and birds. Her clients became friends that she treasured.
Her greatest joy was being a wife and a mother. She loved her husband and her two boys and enjoyed watching them grow up, go to college, and marry two wonderful women whom she loved dearly.
Nelda had an infectious laugh, great sense of humor, and was always ready to play games with her boys. She blessed many people with her famous apple pie. She loved books, classic movies, playing the piano, eating out, the Baltimore Orioles and Ravens, and the beach. She was especially fond of Nags Head, N.C., where she vacationed every year with her family.
She was a genuine, loyal friend to many people for whom she sacrificed herself for their betterment. She mentored women and was truthful and honest with them. A great example of this was her care and devotion to her elderly neighbor, Joan Recor. Nelda visited or called her nearly every day to check in on her.
Nelda was diagnosed with cancer on April 2, 2025. After several months of local treatment, she was transported from Riverside Hospital to Johns Hopkins on Aug. 15. There she spent 34 days receiving care until it was ultimately decided to transition her to hospice and transport her back to her home in Onancock. Once home, she had two wonderful days with her family and had many visitors. A highlight of this time was when Nelda requested an ice cream party with eight kinds of Talenti ice cream to share with her visitors.
Early Sunday morning, Sept. 21, Nelda went home to heaven. She touched many lives with her cheerful and caring spirit and will live long in the hearts and memories of all who knew her.
Nelda is survived by her devoted husband of 45 years, Anthony Salvatore LoFaso; her sons, Michael LoFaso and his wife, India, of Greensboro, N.C., Joshua LoFaso and his wife, Sarah, of Hummelstown, Pa., and Samuel Longstreet III, of Eastville; her brother, Andy Johnson, of Winchester; and many nieces and nephews and their families.
In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her brother, Sandy Johnson.
The family will hold a day of remembrance for Nelda at Onley United Methodist Church on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 11 a.m. Private interment was held at the Fairview Lawn Cemetery.
Memory tributes may be shared with the family at
www.williamsfuneralhomes.com
Arrangements were by the Williams-Onancock Funeral Home.
