Stella Bohay Sutton

Stella Bohay Sutton, 101, passed away peacefully, in her sleep, on January 13, 2024, a few weeks shy of her 102nd birthday.

Born in Evansville, PA, to Charles and Ida (Bodnar) Bohay, Stella moved to South Bound Brook, NJ at the age of two, where she would reside for the remainder of her life. Stella graduated from Robert Morris School in South Bound Brook (Class of 1936), and Bound Brook High School (Class of 1940). She traveled to San Francisco, CA to marry her childhood sweetheart, Harry Sutton, while he was on leave, there, in the United States Navy. Upon returning home from San Francisco, they settled and raised their family in South Bound Brook.

Stella was also a founding member of a South Bound Brook women’s softball team, the Penguinettes, during World War II, which continued as a social club. She was a lifelong member of the Reformed Church of Bound Brook in South Bound Brook until its closing in 2022. Stella was a proud American and had a deep love for the United States of America, exercising her civic duty to vote in every election, while always sporting her favorite colors of red, white, and blue. She made a point to keep the traditions of her Ukrainian ancestry alive in her family by celebrating Ukrainian Christmas at her home, attending Ukrainian festivals, and decorating herself - as well as her home - with Ukrainian fashion; her home was the portal of the pierogi and onion sauce smell in South Bound Brook.

Stella worked at Johnson and Johnson in New Brunswick, and Cornell-Dubilier in South Plainfield. After some time to stay home and raise her children, Stella then began working at her most influential place of employment: Hi-Tams Ice Cream Store in South Bound Brook. Working alongside her brother, Harry, Stella was the “second in command” and the face that many came to appreciate, while being served ice cream. She was known to run an efficient grill, make a perfect cone, collect the most outstanding of “tabs,” and joke around with her brother, all while teaching her grandchildren the “ropes of the business” (to keep them busy), and moving the line out front along. In fact, her legendary SLAP of the counter, followed with a thunderous “NEXT!” is said to still echo at the counter - even to this day!

Stella traveled with her two sisters, Mary and Sophie, to many foreign countries, including their infamous “seven countries in 17 days” trip, along with her favorite one to Middle Eastern countries in which she rode a camel, saw the Great Pyramids, and went in to King Tut’s tomb; she was then coincidentally diagnosed with asthma after exiting said tomb. While also visiting Brazil to spend time with her foreign exchange family, Stella enjoyed traveling to various locations across the United States to visit family and friends.

She had a memory as sharp as a tack, and knew mostly everyone in South Bound Brook. Stella was always quick to share memories of a childhood growing up in South Bound Brook; complete with swimming in, and enjoying boat rides in the canal, playing baseball games with her brothers, sisters, and neighbors, floating paper boats in a stream after a rainfall, gathering eggs from the chicken coups in the backyard, and endless childhood fun. In later years, Stella’s favorite pastime, as well as her family’s, had been sitting around her kitchen table. For Stella and her family, her kitchen table has been the central location for her entire family to meet, catch up on news, and enjoy one another’s company. While her “special seat” is now empty, the memories, and stories told, at her kitchen table will last for generations.

Stella is predeceased by her husband, Harry; two sons, Robert and Harry Jr.; son-in-law, Robert Lopa; granddaughter, Elizabeth Lopa; siblings, Mary Olsen, John Dubecky, Peter Dubecky, Sophie Mielnicki, Harry Bohay, and Paul Bohay. She is survived by her children, Nancy Greaves Zabreski, Bradford Sutton, Diane Lopa, and daughter-in-law, Barbara Sutton; grandchildren, Bradford, Brian (Rhea), Tiffany, Rachael, Kevin (Melissa), Bobby, and Victoria; and great-grandchildren, Kylie, Keira, Nicholas, Brady, Kade, and Emily; many nieces and nephews; and foreign exchange family, the Pennas, of São Paulo, Brazil.

Stella will be deeply missed by all who loved and knew her, and especially those who loved her endless story-telling. While it is difficult to think of a day without Stella (we all thought she may have lived forever), she is smiling, knowing the impact that she had on so many lives.

Memorial donations can be made to: Ukrainian American Veterans https://www.uavets.org/donate/

Family and friends are invited to a visitation at the Hagan-Chamberlain Funeral Home on Thursday, January 18 from 4 to 8 p.m. A funeral service will be held on Friday, January 19th. Friends and family are welcome to gather at 10:30 a.m. for an 11:00 a.m. service.

Due to the weather, the burial at Neshanic Cemetery, 688 Amwell Road, Hillsborough Township, New Jersey has been postponed.  Burial will take place at 12:15 on Monday, January 22, 2024.