Gennaro Guiseppe Nucaro

Jimmy Nucaro was born on June 20, 1942, in Terravecchia, Italy. He passed away peacefully at home in Des Moines, Iowa, on February 7, 2026.

Jimmy was loved by many. He enjoyed cooking—especially making his famous spaghetti sauce—spending hours in his garden, and sharing his deep love for Jesus. He came to the United States from Italy with very little and worked tirelessly to provide for his family in Iowa. Jimmy dedicated 51 years of service to Iowa Methodist Medical Center and was a longtime faithful member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Des Moines.

He is survived by his three children, Frank (Judy) Nucaro, Cosimo Nucaro, and Louisa (Nucaro) Peterson; one sister, Rachel Amodeo; ten grandchildren; a stepdaughter; and thousands of cousins.

He was preceded in death by his father, Frank Nucaro; his mother, Luigena Amodeo; his first wife, Lucy Nucaro; his second wife, Yvonne Nucaro; his brother, Louie Amodeo; and his sisters, Anna Amodeo and Rosie Amodeo.

Pallbearers will be Joe Tumea, Louie Tumea, Mario Tumea, Frank Caligiuri, Brandon Downing, and Joshua Grubbs. Honorary pallbearers are Hunter Updike and Bryant Grubbs.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at Brooks Funeral Care, 2135 SW 9th St., Des Moines, IA 50315. Visitation will take place from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., followed by a funeral service from 11:00 to 11:45 a.m. Burial will follow from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Glendale Cemetery, 4909 University Ave., Des Moines, IA.