Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Calls outside of office hours? No worries! Our team will respond within 10–15 minutes.
October 23, 2007
Services
Funeral services will be held Saturday, October 27, 2007 at 10 AM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
Friends may visit with the family at the funeral home on Friday from 2-4, 7-9 PM.
Interment will be in George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus.
Ann Parolie (nee Skurla) of Wayne passed away on Tuesday, October 23, 2007 at the age of 86. Her passing was quiet and peaceful, while she received the loving care of her devoted family at her side.
Born in Ladimorova, Czechoslovakia, Ann came to America by boat with her aunt, first settling in Passaic, NJ and then living in Wayne for the last forty-seven years. Her father, a prominent politician, made several trips to America and returned to tell his family about this wonderful land of opportunity. Ann saw very little opportunity in her native land, so she gathered herself up and ventured to a new life in 1936, at the young age of 16. She left her parents and six sisters behind. As she explained to her family many times, a little adversity came her way on her trip. In making conversation with a fellow traveler, she was advised to send a telegram about her impending arrival to America. She gave that traveler her last bit of money for the telegram, and that person absconded with her money. Ann often related that she arrived in America with just a bag of apples and the clothes on her back.
Ann was gifted with intelligence that others admired. Although her physical self had failed in the last years of her life, her mind remained incredibly strong. In fact, when her children couldn’t remember someone’s name or the details of an event, they would always call Mom knowing that she would have the answer, and with rare exception, she always did. She was a champion at word puzzles and Rummy 500, and she could debate political issues with anyone who was willing.
The true essence of Ann was her incomparable kindness, integrity, generosity, courage, wisdom, willfulness and sense of humor. A shining role model to her family, her mantra was to “always do the right thing” and that is the way she lived her life.
Without question, her children and grandchildren were the highlight of her life. She loved them with all her heart and would practically burst at the seams with pride as she spoke of them. However, perhaps her greatest accomplishment was her marriage of 64 years.
A true love story, Ann and Jim met while working together. They went on just one date, and Jim was called to duty in the Army. When he returned a few months later, a friend told him that Ann Skurla wanted to see him. When he went to see her, they decided to get married, and they married just three months later at a civil ceremony. He then left for the Army for 2 years and when he returned, they married again in church.
Surviving are her loving husband James Parolie; one son, Dr. James Parolie, and his wife Donna of Readington; three daughters, Janis O’Brien and her husband Vincent of Kinnelon, Ellen Reggiani and her husband Greg of Whippany, and Lori Profeta and her dear partner Jeff Kole of Basking Ridge; nine grandchildren, Courtney Linstra and her husband Garry, James O’Brien, Christopher Parolie, Jennifer Reggiani, Lauren Reggiani, Matthew Parolie, Jeffrey Reggiani, Alexandra Parolie and Casandra Reggiani; and one great grandchild Griffin James Linstra.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Ann’s memory are asked to consider the Wayne Memorial First Aid Squad, PO Box 291, Wayne, NJ 07470 or American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, October 27, 2007 at 10 AM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
Friends may visit with the family at the funeral home on Friday from 2-4, 7-9 PM.
Interment will be in George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus.
October 23, 2007
Services
Funeral services will be held Saturday, October 27, 2007 at 10 AM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
Friends may visit with the family at the funeral home on Friday from 2-4, 7-9 PM.
Interment will be in George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus.
Ann Parolie (nee Skurla) of Wayne passed away on Tuesday, October 23, 2007 at the age of 86. Her passing was quiet and peaceful, while she received the loving care of her devoted family at her side.
Born in Ladimorova, Czechoslovakia, Ann came to America by boat with her aunt, first settling in Passaic, NJ and then living in Wayne for the last forty-seven years. Her father, a prominent politician, made several trips to America and returned to tell his family about this wonderful land of opportunity. Ann saw very little opportunity in her native land, so she gathered herself up and ventured to a new life in 1936, at the young age of 16. She left her parents and six sisters behind. As she explained to her family many times, a little adversity came her way on her trip. In making conversation with a fellow traveler, she was advised to send a telegram about her impending arrival to America. She gave that traveler her last bit of money for the telegram, and that person absconded with her money. Ann often related that she arrived in America with just a bag of apples and the clothes on her back.
Ann was gifted with intelligence that others admired. Although her physical self had failed in the last years of her life, her mind remained incredibly strong. In fact, when her children couldn’t remember someone’s name or the details of an event, they would always call Mom knowing that she would have the answer, and with rare exception, she always did. She was a champion at word puzzles and Rummy 500, and she could debate political issues with anyone who was willing.
The true essence of Ann was her incomparable kindness, integrity, generosity, courage, wisdom, willfulness and sense of humor. A shining role model to her family, her mantra was to “always do the right thing” and that is the way she lived her life.
Without question, her children and grandchildren were the highlight of her life. She loved them with all her heart and would practically burst at the seams with pride as she spoke of them. However, perhaps her greatest accomplishment was her marriage of 64 years.
A true love story, Ann and Jim met while working together. They went on just one date, and Jim was called to duty in the Army. When he returned a few months later, a friend told him that Ann Skurla wanted to see him. When he went to see her, they decided to get married, and they married just three months later at a civil ceremony. He then left for the Army for 2 years and when he returned, they married again in church.
Surviving are her loving husband James Parolie; one son, Dr. James Parolie, and his wife Donna of Readington; three daughters, Janis O’Brien and her husband Vincent of Kinnelon, Ellen Reggiani and her husband Greg of Whippany, and Lori Profeta and her dear partner Jeff Kole of Basking Ridge; nine grandchildren, Courtney Linstra and her husband Garry, James O’Brien, Christopher Parolie, Jennifer Reggiani, Lauren Reggiani, Matthew Parolie, Jeffrey Reggiani, Alexandra Parolie and Casandra Reggiani; and one great grandchild Griffin James Linstra.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Ann’s memory are asked to consider the Wayne Memorial First Aid Squad, PO Box 291, Wayne, NJ 07470 or American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312.
Guestbook