Obituary of Ronald J. Nola

Ronald Nola, 85, ofWillowbrook, passed away peacefully at home, of natural causes on Sunday, May 3, 2020. Born on December 15, 1934, in Port Richmond, a second-generation Staten Islander, graduated from Port Richmond High School and enlisted in the army. He served in the Korean War 1954 and had a deep sense of dedication to the country. A parishioner of Holy Family Church, he was a man strong in his faith and prided himself on the time spent with his family and friends. He was loving, kind and generous with his time and talents. He used sports as a way to dedicate his life to the service of others. His passion for sports allowed him to motivate and encourage not only his son and grandchildren but also many young men as he continued coaching until he was about 70 years of age. He always enjoyed sharing stories of the successes and failures of the "kids" he coached. The endless energy he displayed and time he spent was a great model of selflessness to those around him. He worked with New York City sanitation departmentand delighted in the retelling his experiences throughout his 26 years on the job. He always spoke about the people he worked with, more as family, then coworkers and built some of his lifelong friendships there. After retiring from the sanitation department, he devoted fifteen years working with Adults with Special Needs, at the United Cerebral Palsy organization.He also dedicated a great deal of his time coaching basketball at St. Adalbert'sParish. His love of God was evident not only in his regular mass attendance, but also in the lasting relationships he forged in life. He received great satisfaction by having the family over for celebrations, and created "traditional" events with his friends…including, the long-anticipated Christmas party, his Sunday morning breakfasts (after mass), daily morning walks, St. Patrick's Day parade gatherings, along with many more! He loved life and enjoyed sharing it with others. Survived by, his beloved wife of 61 years, the former Barbara Sorge, his three children, Lori Bray, Kathleen Cappetta and Ronald Nola. He was a loving grandfather of six grandchildren, Tara Marsh, Keri LaSalla, Fred Cappetta, Nola Cappetta, Shaun Nola, and Kelly Nola. He was also a great grandfather of four, DominickLaSalla,TravisLaSalla, AvaLaSallaand Keith Marsh Jr. As we lose the man that we love so dearly, we know that we will once again be united with him in heaven. "I have competed well; Ihave finished the race; I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7-8)