Veronica Ann Shoffstall's Obituary
Veronica (Ronnie) was born September 24, 1952, to Edward Joseph Shoffstall and Lucretia Vita Lagravinese Shoffstall. She was born in Astoria, but her family moved to Seaford NY when Levittown was a young community. She lived around the block from her grandparents Angela and Joseph Lagravinese and her Lagravinese aunts and uncles and cousins, so she was always surrounded by loving family. Her dad sadly passed away when she was about 11. Her mom worked full time, so Ronnie and her siblings were some of the first latchkey kids. Ronnie graduated McArthur High School in Levittown in 1970 and went on to College at SUNY Oswego where she received her bachelor’s degree. It is there that she began her lifelong love of writing poetry. She penned a now famous poem “After A While” at that time. That poem was somehow picked up and traveled the world over. Ronnie was not given credit for it until it was printed in Ann Landers in the 80’s and Ronnie proved her authorship and copywrites it at that point and was finally given the credit she deserved. After college Ronnie moved to her beloved NYC where she lived the rest of her life. She loved walking the streets of NY and documenting the art she found in the murals and graffiti artists of the city. She started out working in some of the first computer programming jobs being a keypunch operator but left that field to work at the UN….
Veronica (Ronnie) Shoffstall served with distinction for decades at the Baha’i International Community’s United Nations Office and Office of Public Information in New York. Ronnie initially worked as Aide in Central Services of the New York Office and subsequently as Aide to the editor of One Country magazine in the Office of Public Information. Ronnie brought her excellent writing and photography skills to serve the work of both Offices as well as the local community. Her dedication, selfless commitment to service, and her support of other projects and the work of other staff members is surpassed only by her wit, sense of humor, and steadfast love for her co-workers and all who entered the offices. While Ronnie was serving the worldwide Baha'i community, she was also enriching the life of the local Baha'i community by writing, editing, and distributing a monthly newsletter filled with pictures and lively stories about important local activities. We mourn the loss of our dear friend and colleague but find comfort in the certainty that her soul is soaring in the spiritual realm.
She is survived by her sister and brother In law Angela and John Fetsco, her brother Edward J Shoffstall and her partner of many years Kenny Trainor. She is also survived by her 91-year-old Aunt Madeline Indelicato her mother’s baby sister. Additionally, she is also survived by her good friends Tavoria Kellam, Clyde Herring and Nina Nobile. She had a special love for her 7 Lagravinese cousins and they for her. Her kindness and gentle soul will be sadly missed.
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