Eileen Patricia Boddie Ryan

Eileen Patricia Ryan, 84, of South Amboy, New Jersey died peacefully at home on January 26th, 2025, surrounded by members of her devoted family. The mother of 6 sons, her campaign to build a new school for the children of South Amboy led her to run for public office and ultimately serve as the president of the city’s Board of Education that built the South Amboy Middle and High School.

She was born and raised in Peekskill, New York, the 14th of Anna (Dulin) and Patrick Boddie’s 17 children. For over 59 years she was the beloved wife and partner of James Thomas Ryan, Jr. Together they built a life in South Amboy focused on family, public service, their faith, and a pantry stocked with snacks and treats routinely raided by her husband, children and grandchildren.

Eileen originally had no interest in running for political office; her days and hands were full raising six boys, including two sets of twins. But she grew increasingly impatient as her pleas to local leaders for a new school went unheeded, particularly after South Amboy’s children were forced into half-day split school sessions and bussed 10 miles south because of inadequate facilities.

She tired of excuses, mounted her own grassroots campaign for the Board of Education and won a surprising upset victory against longtime incumbents. The following year she recruited other moms to run for election to the Board, seized the majority, and was elected president. She led the Board and the city to approve a new school and library facility that ended bussing and split days for the children of South Amboy. Thousands of children, including her grandchildren, have walked through the doors of the school and library in the decades since its opening.

Eileen attended St. Michael’s School of Nursing, where she met her husband. Their mutual vocation as nurses touched many thousands of lives and inspired a new generation of nurses in their family, including two of their grandchildren.

She was her husband and sons’ biggest cheerleader throughout their lives and remained deeply devoted to them, their spouses, her 22 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren (and counting), all of whom brought her enormous joy. Her home was filled with love and the lilt of Irish laughter.

She was a communicant of Saint Bernadette’s Parish in Parlin, a former volunteer with the South Amboy First Aid Squad and a longtime pediatric nurse in addition to her many years of service on the South Amboy Board of Education. Protecting, healing, and loving children was her calling.

She is survived at home by her beloved husband Jim and her lifelong friend and sister Ellen Boddie, as well as her grateful sons and their spouses: Kevin and Clare Ryan of Fair Haven, Timothy and Heather Brooke-Ryan of South Brunswick, Jim and Kim Ryan of South Brunswick, Gene and Susan Ryan of Dayton, Maryland, Owen Ryan and Trevor McLaren of Denver, Colorado and Christopher and Stacey Ryan of Somerset. She was the grandmother of Heather and Blake Levy, Daniel Ryan, Samantha Chase, Liam Ryan, John and Meghan Ryan, Emily and Peter Halloran, Nora Ryan, Alyssa Ryan, Matthew and Anna Ryan, Maggie Ryan, Jillian Ryan, Jack Ryan, Quinn Ryan, Maeve Ryan, Mackenzie Ryan, Lily Ryan, Savannah Ryan, Christopher Ryan, Avery Ryan, Keara Ryan, Olivia Ryan and Sawyer Ryan, two great grandchildren Cole Levy and Patrick Halloran, and a third great-grandchild due in June. In addition she is survived by her brother Robert Boddie and his wife Doris, her sister Katie Scarmelino, her sister-in-law Donna Britto, more than 40 dear nieces and nephews, and many beloved friends. 

She is the sister of the late Mary Laterza, Teresa Oswald, Sister Ann Patrick Boddie, James Boddie, John Boddie, Patrick Boddie, Connie Boddie, William Boddie, Harry Boddie and Mickey Boddie.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Eileen will be offered on Thursday January 30, 2025 at 10:00 AM at St. Bernadette’s Church, Parlin. Burial services will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Sayreville. Family will receive friends on Wednesday January 29th from 2pm to 4pm and 6pm to 8pm at The Gundrum Service “Home For Funerals”, 237 Bordentown Avenue in South Amboy. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in Eileen’s memory may be made to either Collier Youth Services, 160 Conover Road, Wickatunk, New Jersey https://www.collieryouthservices.org/donate or the South Amboy First Aid Squad, P.O Box 328, South Amboy, New Jersey http://www.southamboyfirstaid.org/donate.html

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