SEYMOUR, CT: Nina Teresa Poeta, 17, of Seymour passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family on Nov. 1, 2014, All Saint's Day. She was the cherished and precious daughter of John and Dorie (Belinsky) Poeta, and beloved sister of Cara Poeta. She was born in Seymour at her home on May 9, 1997 and was a joy of a child. She was a tiny little thing who always managed to keep up with her big sister and cousins. At 2 1/2 she snuck into her sister's first dance class and they let her stay because she was keeping up with the older girls. At 31/2 she snuck onto her sister's soccer team and again got to stay because they had a softie of a coach, her daddy. In Kindergarten her "After School Program" gymnastics teacher recommended she be put on a team, and was immediately accepted. This was the beginning of her 9 year competitive gymnastics career, where she won almost every meet she entered and silver medaled at States twice. In middle school she tried cheerleading at the urging of the coach, her cousin, who would not take no for an answer. Nina fell in love with cheerleading. This prompted her to give up soccer and shockingly, her competitive gymnastics, to cheer full-time when she got to high school. She made All-American Cheerleader twice, and All-State Cheer Team twice, and helped her Seymour High School cheer team win the Class S State Championship Title this year. Nina always excelled in school, graduating 5th in her middle school class and was placed in Honors Classes in high school.
She was funny and kind, and had an infectious laugh and bubbly personality. Nina was voted "Most Likely to Brighten Your Day" in grammar school, in middle school she was voted "Most Outgoing" and she was most recently elected "Prom Queen" this past May. Nina was a loving, thoughtful daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin, and friend. She enjoyed her close-knit extended family. Her sister Cara was her other half, and they called themselves "Anna and Elsa" from the movie "Frozen", because they truly loved one another and would do absolutely anything for each other. Above all, Nina was beautiful from the inside out. She was kind and generous, and was a good Christian. Nina was a communicant of St. Thomas the Apostle Roman Catholic Church, Oxford. She spent many hours during the year fundraising for the annual mission trip with her youth group (Sstomp). Then, each summer she would spend a week helping the elderly, ill, disabled, and disaster-stricken with painting, building wheelchair ramps, decks, and various home repairs. In addition to her parents and sister, Nina leaves behind her paternal grandparents, Albert and Frances Poeta of Seymour, and maternal grandmother, June Shore of Naugatuck; her Aunt Wendy Poeta-Tisi, and cousin Ryan Tisi of Shelton and many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, and her faithful dog, Bella. She was predeceased by her maternal grandfather, Lewis P. Belinsky, Sr. Friends may call at Holy Rosary Church, 10 Father Salemi Dr., Ansonia on Thursday from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday at 10:00 a.m. in Holy Rosary Church (DIRECTLY). (Nina's family requests attendees to wear something pink.) Interment will be at the convenience of her family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the Nina Poeta Memorial Scholarship Fund c/o Wells Fargo Bank, 11 Klarides Village, Seymour, CT 06483, The Cure Starts Now (for DIPG Research), 10280 Chester Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45215, or to Make-a-Wish Foundation, 126 Monroe Tpke., Trumbull, CT 06611. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Ralph E. Hull Funeral Home, 161 W. Church St., Seymour. For directions or to share a memory online, please go to www.hullfh.com

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