Nicola “Nick” DeFazio, 74, of Port Charlotte, passed away on January 22, 2013.

Nick was born in Italy and immigrated to CT in the U.S. in 1954. Nick joined the U.S. Army and served in the Vietnam War. He moved to Port Charlotte in 1981. Nicola was the founder and owner of Nicola’s Italian Kitchen, a restaurant in Englewood, which his family now operates.

Nicola will be remembered for his optimistic and fun personality, the kindness he showed to everyone he met and for the endless love he had for his family.

He is survived by his wife, Tina (Mazzonna) DeFazio; their two daughters, Teresa Crews and her husband Brian; Rina Remmers and her husband Hans; and his beloved grandchildren who were his inspiration for the tremendous battle he fought every day, Isabella and James Crews and Nico and Gia Remmers. He is also survived by his sister Marie Gulli and her husband Peter, and many loving family members and friends.

Visitation is on Friday, Jan 25th at the Kays-Ponger Funeral Home from 5pm to 9pm and the funeral liturgy is at 11am on Jan 26th at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church both in Pt Charlotte. Burial will follow at Gulf Pines Cemetery in Englewood. Memorial donations may be made to The Yah Yah Girls, a local organization that feeds hungry children on weekends, contact Jolene Mowry at 941-875-9747 or mowryj@comcast.net; or Meals on Wheels Inc of Englewood to feed our senior citizens in need, contact Christel Suhr, 941-474-4445. To light a candle in Nicola’s memory or to sign the guestbook, please visit www.kays-ponger.com.