SY RABOY

1936 - 2019

RABOY, Sy Insurance Executive and Philanthropist Beloved husband of Debby (Deborah) Raboy for sixty-two years, passed away peacefully at home in Boston on January 20, 2019. Sy, born on May 20, 1936, in New York City to Rose and Murray Raboy, lived a life full of love, success and perseverance. He graduated from Brandeis University, where he met and married Debby. A successful career in the insurance industry took the couple and their growing family across the country with stops in San Francisco, Detroit, and Los Angeles, before making his way to the headquarters of Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company (CML) in Hartford, Connecticut, as Senior Vice President. Within a few years, Sy was named the President of CML. During his time in Hartford, Sy was actively involved in the community as President of the Greater Hartford Arts Council, board member of Hartford National Bank, and its successors and of the University of Hartford. He participated in Leadership Greater Hartford, and was a member of Temple Beth Israel, Tumblebrook Country Club, Hartford Golf Club and The Hartford Club. He was a fellow of Brandeis University. Following his years in Hartford, Sy and Debby completed the circle of their travels with a move to Boston, as Sy took a position as Deputy General Manager of the United States for Sun Life Insurance Company. With his return to Boston, Sy became actively involved as President of the Boston Center for Adult Education, and with the Brandeis University Adult Education program. He was an avid supporter of the Pine Street Inn and Temple Israel. Of all of the blessings which life brought to Sy, his favorite ones were his family and close friends, whom he taught, coached, encouraged and loved fiercely. In addition to his wife Debby, Sy is survived by his children Adam and his wife Amy Raboy, his daughter Alyce, and her husband Charles Alfano, and his son James and his wife Ellen Raboy. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Alexandra and Christopher Saltis, Harry and Jenna Raboy, Elizabeth Raboy, Mason Raboy, Lewis Raboy, Nicholas Alfano and Olivia Alfano, and his great-granddaughter, Evelyn Saltis. The family will welcome friends at Sy and Debby's home at 220 Boylston Street in Boston, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 22, 2019. The Funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m., on Wednesday, January 23, 2019, at Temple Israel in Boston, Massachusetts, followed by his burial at Woodlawn Cemetery in Suffield, Connecticut. The family will sit Shiva at the home of Charlie and Alyce Alfano, at 4 Woodbridge Drive in Suffield, on Wednesday evening, January 23, immediately following the burial. The family will also sit Shiva at Sy and Debby's home in Boston on Thursday evening, January 24, 2019, and Sunday, January 27th, at James and Ellen Raboy's home in White Plains, NY. Donations in Sy's memory may be made to The Raboy Family Scholarship at Brandeis University, or Compassion and Choices in Portland, Oregon.