Obituary of Pamela Ruth Rimassa
Pamela Rimassa, of West Orange, NJ, passed away peacefully on Friday afternoon, April 10th. Affectionally known variously as Pammy, Ma, Grandma, Gramma…Pam was a deeply kind person. She exuded the sort of rare and overwhelming kindness that shone ever brighter when contrasted with the cruelties and injustices of the world. Her kindness was equally matched by her empathy, and suffering of any kind affected her in an almost personal way. But somehow—miraculously—in her 79+1 years of living, her profound belief in the fundamental goodness of humanity never diminished.
She saw goodness in her friends, whose voices over phone calls and company over dinner filled her cup daily. She saw goodness in her family, who were her foundation and the source of her pride and greatest joys. She instinctually put her family first in all things, sacrificing her own needs in order to support, protect, and uplift us. She found goodness in the birds she gleefully watched splash in the birdbath on Spring mornings, in the moon whose phases she traced through each month, and in the lake on which she could (and often did) float for hours. Pam could miraculously float on her back for hours, a feat which tended to amaze if not worry people who figured she must, at some point, need help. (She didn’t.)
Indeed, the water was her happy place. The rolling waves of the Jersey shore and Florida coast, and the more tranquil, lapping waters of the Finger Lakes provided a reflective and calming experience that centered her connection to family, friends, and Nature. They anchored the traditions that she kept most central in her heart and which marked the passing of time, like the full moons she would always notify her granddaughters of so they wouldn’t miss out on their ethereal beauty.
Lastly, Pam spent the last 58 years right beside the love of her life—Lou—her partner and best friend. Their long relationship was a beautiful example of mutual devotion and caring that most of us would be lucky to experience for ourselves. We are grateful that we were able to be by her side when she passed, and we will never forget the light she brought to our lives. We love you to the moon and back.