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Romelia ("Rommy") Anne
Boissevain, 1941-2020 |
May 14, 2020—I heard from Noah Sisk that his great-aunt Romelia ("Rommy") Boissevain passed away early last week.
Rommy was at the Boissevain family reunion in Amsterdam in April 2016, and attended the tour of the Dutch canals with other family members including Noah Sisk. I was nominally the leader of the tour and
wrote about that here. Noah remembered that my wife Alice left the tour with Rommy because Rommy was tired from all the walking.
Noah says: "Rommy suffered from poor health in the past few years, but she was always a very hip and fun lady. She was also particularly close with my aunt Kim [Kimberley Buck]."
New London - Romelia "Rommy" Anne Boissevain, 78, recently of New London, passed away peacefully Tuesday, May 5, 2020. She was born June 19, 1941, in Kingston, Mass. to her adoring parents, Matthijs Gideon Jan and Helen (Fiske) Boissevain.
In 1954, her family moved to Northwest Corner Road in North Stonington. Rommy, as she was known to all who knew and loved her infectious laugh and ever-present smile, attended Wheeler High School, where she was valedictorian. She earned her bachelor's degree in English from Central Connecticut State College in New Britain and later, obtained a master's degree from Eastern Connecticut State College. A beloved teacher, Rommy was a reading specialist who helped countless students learn to love learning at schools in North Stonington, New York State, East Hampton and most recently, at the Nathan Hale School in New London.
She also was a real estate agent; and in retirement, cultivated a love of painting. She participated in a teacher exchange program with educators in Norway and made several trips to Europe. She especially loved touring Holland with her family and seeing the childhood environs of her father's native Amsterdam. She cherished family camping trips, daylong excursions to Rhode Island beaches and trips all over the U.S.
Rommy also carried on her father's love of genealogy. She fervently studied her family's background and helped many others to start researching theirs. A generous mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, she loved being called "Oma" by her grandkids, Austin, Mia and Wyatt and "Tante Oma" by her many dear nieces and nephews. She was known to always keep her home and heart open to all.
Special thanks are given by her family to the staff of Harbor Village Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in New London for their care. She is survived by her loving sons, Deron (Susan) Bayer of Lakeville and Jon Bayer of New London. She is also survived by her brother Robert (Elaine) Boissevain; and her sisters, Pamela (Wayne) Wilkinson, Kimberley (Robert) Buck and Mia Boissevain; and her sister-in-law Wendy Boissevain. She was predeceased by her brothers, Bruce Boissevain and Lance Boissevain. She leaves many cousins across the U.S. and Holland. A Celebration of Life for her will take place at a date to be announced.
