The campus community mourns the passing of Barbara Roy, who died on March 17, 2020. Barbara served Bucknell as secretary to the Director of Alumni Relations (now University Advancement) before retiring in 1997.
Included below is the complete text of the obituary, as provided by the family.
On behalf of our entire University community, I extend our deepest sympathies to Barbara’s family, as well as to all who knew her at Bucknell.
John C. Bravman
President
Barbara J. (Romano) Roy, 87, of Bethlehem, formerly of Lewisburg, Pa., and Toms River, N.J., passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Fountain Hill, surrounded by her loving family.
She was born in Mount Vernon, N.Y., a daughter of the late James and Eleanor (Murray) Romano. She was the loving wife of Dr. Joseph J. Roy who preceded her in death.
Barbara grew up in Pelham, N.Y. where her father was the chief of police. Her father was also an agent with the FBI in Philadelphia. She also lived in North Arlington, N.J. and Massapequa, N.Y.
She was a graduate of Queen of Peace High School and later attended Farmingdale Junior College.
Barbara worked as a secretary at Massapequa High School, where she met her husband, Dr. Joseph J. Roy, who was a teacher there and later worked at Bucknell University until retiring. She then relocated to Pennsylvania when her husband became principal of Shikellamy High School, Sunbury, and later to Lewisburg, when Dr. Roy became principal of Lewisburg Area High School. While in Lewisburg, she worked as secretary to the Director of Alumni Relations at Bucknell University for 20 years. She was widowed at age 48 and relocated to Toms River, N.J. when her children were grown, before relocating again to Bethlehem, to live near her son Dr. Joseph J. Roy Jr., Superintendent of the Bethlehem Area School District.
Barbara was a member of the Beta Sigma Phi social sorority and the Rosary Altar Society for Sacred Heart Church in Lewisburg.
She will be lovingly remembered by her daughter, Suzanne Roy, and her husband, Craig Perrin, of Davis, Calif.; sons, Dr. Joseph J. Roy, Jr. and his wife Anmarie of Bethlehem, and James Roy and his wife Michelle of Farmington, Minn.; and seven loving grandchildren.
Funeral services will be private and at the convenience of the family due to current public health concerns.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering, 75 E. Market St., Bethlehem PA 18018. www.bethlehememergencysheltering.org
Barbara’s arrangements have been entrusted to the Cantelmi Long Funeral Home, Bethlehem.
A memory tribute may be placed at www.cantelmifuneralhome.com.