Rayna Eyerman, age 44, unexpectedly passed away June 9, 2023, as a result of sudden heart failure. Rayna was born Sept. 1, 1978, on Staten Island, New York, but was a lifelong resident of Shrewsbury. Like her children, she attended Shrewsbury Borough School and Red Bank Regional High School where she graduated in 1992 and 1996, respectively. At Red Bank Regional, she met her high school sweetheart Keith, whom she married in 2002.Â
After graduating from Rowan University in 2000 with a degree in Spanish and early childhood education, Rayna started her career as a teacher and her love for children brought her to have nine of her own. Her loving and caring nature even motivated her to start her own business with a friend, Little Peas of Mind, where she was able to care for so many kids.
Rayna was extremely active in all of her children’s lives, becoming a class mom eight times over, an event organizer, a soccer coach, a member of the Shrewsbury Community Alliance, a youth group leader and children’s church coordinator, among many other roles.
Despite a dozen conflicting sports schedules, Rayna rarely missed a game and could be seen cheering for the kids on the sidelines. Supporting and loving her children is what she lived for, and she loved making every birthday, special occasion and even ordinary days magical. Holidays were her favorite and the family will look back fondly on all of her nonstop cooking from Thanksgiving turkey to the Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve.
And as if nine kids weren’t enough, Rayna was devoted to her three dogs that she loved.
She is survived by her husband Keith, children TJ, Andrew, Veronica, Ryan, Henry, Eve, Jane and Wilson, her brother Matthew (Amanda), sister Katie (José), and parents Gerald and Marcia.
The family is comforted knowing she is able to reunite with her beloved daughter Lucy in heaven.
A Memorial Gathering will be held 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. June 16 at Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad St., Red Bank. A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. June 17 at Tower Hill Church, 255 Harding Road, Red Bank. A reception will immediately follow the service at the adjacent Webster Hall; all are welcome.
Rayna loved flowers, but if you’d like to express your condolences in other ways, please consider donating to Love Thy Neighbor at lovethyneighbornj.org.
The article originally appeared in the June 15 – 21, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
