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Lorraine Townsend Obituary
Surviving are her husband David, and two sons, David Jr. and Daniel.
All arrangements are private in the care of the Reilly Funeral Home 801 D St. Belmar. In lieu of flowers donations to the American Cancer Society 801 Broad St. Shrewsbury N.J. 07702 would be appreciated.
Memories and Condolences
for Lorraine Townsend
Sponsored by Nicholas Roman, brother.
7 Entries
Ed Hayes
May 7, 2024
To David and Nicholas:
I heard of her passing 4 years ago. I am an old friend from JC-Bayonne. She was a special woman and a good friend for 3-4 years.
I last saw her when I worked at Greenville Hospital.
We are blessed to have known her!
Nick
March 20, 2022
My Dear Sister's Eulogy. Posted Online by Her Brother, Nick. @ [email protected].
Nicholas Roman (o)
January 2, 2019
I am fortunate that Lorraine Theresa Townsend was my sister. Her maiden name was Lorraine Roman, a.k.a. Lorraine Romano. Virtually no one knew or spoke her middle name,Theresa, which she only considered a pre-requisite for the religious rite of her confirmation. Our father's birth name was Thomas Romano. He changed his name to Thomas Roman in 1937. Our mother's name was Nola Roman(o). She was a much beloved and lauded educator in New Jersey's primary / elementary public school system for over 25 years. She passed away peacefully from natural causes at the age of 95 years on April 30, 2015.
Lorraine fought her battle with cancer valiantly for years as she strove to care for her children and her home life as she continued to serve professionally. We always thought, hoped and prayed that she would conquer her foe. Ultimately, sadly and tragically she did not. She passed away one day after our mother's 89th. birthday, on January 25, 2009.
Lorraine was the youngest of four children our parents bore. She had three older brothers. Lorraine was only two and a half years old, and I five years old when our family moved to the idyllic suburbs in the summer of 1957. This is where Lorraine and I spent our formative years. Lorraine and I were close as children. We moved to the city of Bayonne, N.J. in the summer of 1965 when Lorraine was ten and one-half years old.
We became estranged at one point in life but then reconciled and became very close again later in life until her untimely passing in 2009. There was no topic or issue that we could not or did not discuss. Many of our conversations were based on exploring a topic that was very significant to and for Lorraine: spirituality and more specifically her spirituality, God and the afterlife. Over the years we discussed these and many other issues in depth and at great length. When we could not visit we would spend upwards of hours at a time on the telephone. Laughter was a great remedy for her. Ultimately Lorraine was very much at peace in accepting her mortality.
Lorraine was drawn to athletics at a very early age. I vividly remember watching her taking to the trampoline with great rapture & delight at a very early age. She loved running, swimming, biking and gymnastics at an early age and would continue these activities long into adulthood. Lorraine would go on to become the Captain of the Cheerleader's Squad at Bayonne High School. In Secondary School, or High School as we called it, Lorraine was voted The Most Popular Girl (a.k.a. Young Female Adult) in Senior Year of the graduating class of 1972 from Bayonne High School. Being humble, Lorraine would keep these last two facts hidden from me for many years.
Lorraine was intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and psychologically highly evolved and grounded. She had a great love and interest in education, the arts as well as her profession and a passion for life and people. She had a great sense of humor and took great delight in laughing at the absurdities of life. We both did.
Sadly & tragically, Lorraine's cancer re-occurred in 2003. All of her family members rallied to her side. In February of 2005 she surprised us with an unannounced visit. She had made rapid and astonishing recoveries in her health which would continue to amaze us through the subsequent years and give us great hope for her complete recovery.
She loved her two nuclear families very much as well as her friends. She would visit us many times throughout the years spending 2005 Christmas dinner & evening with me and my mother. In subsequent years, she or she and her family would visit us for the holidays and intermittently throughout the years. She spoke fondly of many of her friends.
Lorraine's passing was a profound loss to us and to the world. Lorraine was and continues to be loved very much. The only consolation is that she is no longer suffering and that her soul and spirit are now at peace in Heaven. Our loss is Heaven's gain. With great love, your brother Nicholas Roman(o).
September 14, 2018
May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.
Cathy Fox
February 7, 2009
My deepest sympathy to Lorraine's family. I knew Lorraine many years ago. So sorry I didn't know that she passed until today.
Patti McAndrew
February 6, 2009
The name 'Lorraine' means: of Lorraine, France, where Joan of Arc was born. This may sound like a stretch but those of us lucky enough to work with Lorraine were acutely aware of her strength, courage, kindness, love and determination to fight and win the battle over cancer that tried to diminish her light many times over the years. She always won the battle, until last week. She made it clear that her strength came from the love of her family and the dedication of the Physicians and nurses who cared for her when she was not caring for others. Lorraine is synonymous with life. She lived every minute. My deepest sympathy for her family's loss of this special woman.
Liz Donahue
February 3, 2009
Lorraine was a special person, I had the pleasure of working with a years ago, and I learned so much. A day never went by that we did not laugh. She always put a smile on mile face. I will cherish this memory.
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