Obituary of Sylvia A. Bona

My MOM, Sylvia A. Bona, peacefully passed away Wednesday, December 16th, 2020, at the age of 73 with Kristen and I holding her hands as she passed. A wonderful RN nurse named Aubrey was with us while my mom took her last breath. MOM passed away due to complications from Parkinson’s disease. My MOM was born in Auburn, NY on February 20th, 1947 the daughter of Walter A. Sroka and Loretta C. Dudek Sroka. My mom was a graduate of St. Hyacinth’s Catholic School, Central High School and received her Associate’s degree in Business Administration from Cayuga Community College. Her first job was at Marine Midland Bank. She also worked at Dermody Burke & Brown, BOCES and Finger Lakes Press. She retired from The International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 506/118 where my MOM worked for many years as the office manager. Mom enjoyed in her early years playing the piano, cake decorating classes with her friend Angie, and gardening. She also loved listening to music and watching old classic movies, figure skating, SU Basketball, The Price is Right and Dancing with the Stars. She was a lifelong parishioner of St. Hyacinth’s Church. Mom was a soft spoken, sweet, gentle human being who cared for others more than herself. She was a very kind and generous woman who gave to others in need but, moreover; contributed more to my life than I could have ever expected. My MOM is survived by myself, her son, Paul James Bona III and my fiancée Kristen L. Wilzinski. She will be missed by her lifelong friends since childhood, Her BEST FRIEND IN THE WORLD Angie (Ron) Gasparro, Marie (Bob) Giannone, Elaine (John) Golden and Elaine (Paul) Nolan. Her cousins, Gerald and Susan Dudek, Robert and Cindy Dudek, Mary and Joe Janusz, Michael and Laurie Dudek, Diane Taylor (all of Auburn) and David and Sharon Dudek of Severna Park, Maryland. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her cousin Ronald Swietoniowski. We would like to thank my Mom’s nurses who gave such wonderful care to her the last few months, her private care nurse Shawna Bayles LPN, LIFETIME CARE and Moms RN Nurse Felicia and Aide Jolene. I would like to thank my brother, Christopher P. Bona NP and CRNA, for all his medical guidance and support. Also, we would like to thank her Neurologists Dr. Jamie Adams MD, Katherine E. Webster NP and Dr. Benzi M. Kluger MD. We would like to thank Strong Memorial Hospital and Auburn Community Hospital, all the doctors, nurses and health care professionals who also took care of my mother. Thank you to all the Fireman and EMT’s who came to the house several times during my mother’s illness. Finally, we would like to thank Internal Medicine Associates of Auburn, moms primary doctor Brian Bennett MD and most importantly Jeanne M. Kuhfta, MSN/RN/FNP-C. Jeanne did video visits with me and mom once every two weeks for months. Jeanne was there until the very end and I will never forget the support she gave us. You are the best. Thank you! To all our family, friends, and neighborhood friends, thank you for being there for us so many years. To my childhood friend, Michael E. Brown, thank you for taking my mom to her final resting place. A calling hour for my mother will be held from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at St. Martha and Mary Parish at St. Hyacinth’s Church, 63 Pulaski St., Auburn with a Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 12 p.m. Entombment will be in the mausoleum at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Auburn. Covid-19 precautions will be in effect. In lieu of flowers, contribution in my mother’s memory to find a cure for Parkinson’s disease may be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation at www.parkinsons.org or to the Michael J. Fox Foundation at www.michaeljfox.org. Condolences may be sent through my mother’s tribute page at www.brownfuneralhomefulton.com My mom died 9 days before Christmas and her Christmas card from last year, she wrote “To my son Paulie, Love Forever, MOM”