Carol J. Boyle (nee Stefanelli) of Cedar Grove passed away peacefully on August 31, 2024. She was 83. A woman of devout faith, Carol was a past parishioner of Our Lady of Sorrows in Kearny and of St. Catherine of Siena in Cedar Grove. She enjoyed her job as a secretary at The Copy Shop in Nutley for many years.
Born in Newark and raised in Kearny on Tappan Street with her large Italian family, Carol was the daughter of Julia and George Stefanelli, and the beloved sister of her younger brother George. She met the love of her life Colin on Tappan Street and the pair were high school sweethearts. They went on to get married and have four children.
Carol was a proud practicing Catholic, known by many for her extensive prayer list which she spent careful time with each day. She enjoyed cross stitching and making Christmas ornaments to share with everyone she knew. She was active at both of her parishes as a member of the Rosary Society at Our Lady of Sorrows and the Society for Seniors at St. Catherine’s. Carol always answered the call to help others– she was an annual supporter of parish giving trees at Christmastime, and loved volunteering through St. Catherine’s Shepherds of Service. However, her greatest joy was time spent with her family and friends. She loved to tell stories of her upbringing surrounded by many aunts, uncles, and cousins. We take comfort in knowing she is reunited with many of them now.
Carol is predeceased by her husband of 46 years, Colin Boyle, her daughter Kathleen, and her parents Julie and George. She is survived by her brother George (Nancy), loving children Colin Boyle (Rosemarie), Craig Boyle (Colleen) and Catherine Sickinger (James), as well as her eight grandchildren Alexis (Mike), Jonathan (Kendall), Jarryd (Megan), Julie (Mario), Maddie, Katie, Lindsay, and Josh, her two great-grandchildren Aubrey and Nate, and her beloved grand-dogs and grand-cat, who will miss her secret treats.
To know Carol was to be loved by Carol, and to have probably been slipped a Miraculous Medal by her at some point. Her kindness and generosity was unceasing, and even in her final days, her sense of humor was strong. Though she is missed dearly, her spirit lives on every time you do a kind deed or say a prayer on behalf of another.
Visitation will be on Tuesday, September 3rd from 4-8:00 p.m. at the Armitage Wiggins Funeral Home - 596 Belgrove Drive Kearny. Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, September 4th at 11:00 a.m. Our Lady of Sorrows church - 136 Davis Ave, Kearny. Burial at Holy Cross Cemetery will follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate to Association of the Miraculous Medal: https://www.amm.org/petition/default.aspx?FormID=181
or Alzheimer's Association: https://act.alz.org/site/Donation2?df_id=32112&32112.donation=form1 .
