Laura Josephine Looby Neville

Laura Josephine Looby Neville passed away peacefully with her adult children by her side on April 3, 2018 at Danbury Hospital after an extended illness.  She was 93.  Laura (‘Lolly’ as friends called her) was born on March 19, 1925 to Irish immigrants in Yonkers, New York. She was educated by the Sisters of Charity at St. Joseph’s School (Class of 1939) and graduated from the Convent of the Blessed Sacrament Academy (Class of 1942). 

Laura married the love of her life, Raymond E Neville and lived in Yonkers’ Ashburton Avenue neighborhood where they were both born and raised. Her husband, a Firefighter with the Yonkers Fire Department, predeceased her in 1961.

After becoming a widow at a young age with three children to raise, Laura worked as a Senior Clerk for the City of Yonkers. She was assigned to the City’s library system and worked many years in various departments, including the Carnegie Library’s Children’s Room, where she helped children discover the magic of reading, storytelling and the love of books.

Upon her retirement from Civil Service in 1985, she moved to Danbury, Connecticut.  After working briefly at Sears in the Danbury Fair Mall, Laura devoted herself to helping raise her two grandchildren.  She cherished picking them up from school, taking them to local pools, watching and helping them grow into adults.

Laura was an accomplished Irish Dancer in her youth- In 1939 she was named the International Irish Dancing Champion for her age group in the International Feis held in Yonkers.  Laura always strived to give her children the best life possible-she was involved with the PTA, cub scouts, girl scouts and much more as they were growing up. She was a "hip" mom in the 60’s -enjoyed listening to the Beatles and happy to embrace the changing times.  In October, 1964, Laura was the Democratic District Leader from Yonkers Sixth Ward.  Bobby Kennedy, used her 1963 Red Ford Galaxy Sunliner Convertible for his campaign stop in Yonkers and gave an impromptu speech in Lafayette Square from the back of her car. 

Laura loved spending time at the beach- at the family summer home in Milford Connecticut, and on several trips to Florida. She enjoyed traveling, especially to Ireland and England to visit family. She loved to read self-help books-especially spiritual and financial ones. Laura was a true believer of the Norman Vincent Peale philosophy of the power of positive thinking.  Her motto in life was -Peace, Love and Happiness.

Laura is survived by her two grandchildren whom she loved with all her heart, Rosaria Monica Seavy-Cioffi of San Diego, California and Sean Neville (sp.Marine Rudent) of Orlando, Florida.   Also surviving are her adult children, Raymond J. Neville, Ann Marie Seavy-Cioffi, (sp.L.J. Seavy-Cioffi) and Laura Jean Young (sp.Mike D Young), all of Danbury. In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by her parents, John Joseph Looby and Hannorah Edyth Hyde Looby.

It is a pretty safe bet that her Old English sheepdog, Monsieur Mardi Gras was waiting for her at the Rainbow Bridge.

The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses and attendants of Danbury Hospital 11West for their kind, compassionate and generous care administered to Laura in her last days, it was deeply appreciated.

In lieu of flowers please donate to Laura’s favorite charity, St. Jude’s Hospital for Children. Diagnosed with cancer herself, Laura felt the children with cancer had it worse, being robbed of their childhood.  Donations can be made at   http://giftfunds.stjude.org/lolly

The Funeral at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Ridgefield, Connecticut is Thursday, April 12 at 11 AM. Interment will be at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Yonkers, New York a later date.

Full obituary can be viewed at www.danburymemorial.com/listings

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Laura Josephine Looby Neville, please visit our floral store.