Royalda Theresa (Boadway) Parany passed away Nov. 8, 2020, at Riverview Hospital, Red Bank, at the age of 95. During her final day, Royalda was surrounded by her loved ones, including her children and their families and talking to family members via FaceTime.
Royalda was born Aug. 4, 1925, in Malone, New York. She graduated from Franklin Academy in 1944. While visiting her sister in Passaic, she met the love of her life, Michael K. Parany, through a blind date. They were married Dec. 27, 1947, during the Great Blizzard of ’47.
Mike and “Roy” as they were affectionately called by their many longtime friends, were very active in the Boys Club of Passaic and Clifton, hosting many trips and Christmas parties for the boys. They were also very active in the local VFW, often volunteering for fundraisers throughout the year, and were active in the local Democratic Party organization, helping with campaigns. On Election Night Mike assisted people in getting to polling places and Roy helped at the polls. She was also very active in the Rosary Society at St Claire’s Church in Clifton.
Roy became a first-time mother in 1948 and ultimately had four children over a span of 14 years. She raised her four children with Mike in Passaic until his passing in September 1982. The family spent their time enjoying friends and family that included Roy’s sisters, cousins and friends in the New Jersey area. The Parany family also took multiple annual trips in Malone, New York, visiting her family who they remained very close with. Fair week was always a favorite time for the family to visit because Roy would get to see many of her friends and relatives who moved away from this small town but would return home for a visit. It was always a very busy time, along with Thanksgiving week.
She retired in 1987 from St. Mary’s Hospital in Passaic and moved to Middletown, where she spent the last 30 years prior to her death. After retirement, she devoted her time to her greatest love, her family, especially babysitting her grandchildren. She became known as Nonnie and remained Nonnie to everyone for the rest of her life. During her later retirement years, she enjoyed her favorite hobbies of sewing, cryptograms, sudoku puzzles and playing pinochle, and especially visiting with her great-grandchildren. She had very special bonds with each one of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Royalda was predeceased by her beloved husband Michael, her parents Royal and Mary Louise Boadway and her seven brothers and sisters, Woodrow, Marion, Mildred, Myrtle, Edward, Frederick and Francis. She is survived by her daughters, Diane and her husband James Breault of Parsippany and Susan and her husband Thomas Suralik of Middletown; and her sons, Michael and his wife Laura of Martinsville, West Virginia, and Christopher of Point Pleasant. She is also survived by 10 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren who all have cherished memories of their time spent with Nonnie.
A private memorial service for the family is planned for Nov. 6, 2021.
The article originally appeared in the October 28 – November 3, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
