Keyport BOE President, Mother Of 3 Dies Of COVID At 50

KEYPORT, NJ — A woman who was president of the Keyport Board of Education has lost her battle with coronavirus.

Ann Marie Panzarelli, of Keyport, died this past Saturday, March 13 after being hospitalized with COVID for more than a month, according to this GoFundMe page set up for her husband and three children she leaves behind. She was 50 years old, the Asbury Park Press reported.

The GoFundMe was set up by Holly Ramsey. According to Ramsey, Panzarelli was hospitalized with COVID on Feb. 8.

"She has been hospitalized since February 8 and is currently on a ventilator," posted Ramsey. "Sadly on March 13, 2021, Ann lost her battle to COVID-19. She fought this terrible virus for over a month. Ann leaves behind her husband and three beautiful children. She was loved by all who knew her, and our community is devastated to have lost her."

On her Facebook page, Panzarelli wrote: "I'm a blessed MOM to 3 Amazing Children.... everything else is not as important!"

Incredibly, Panzarelli served as an elected member of the Keyport Board of Education for the past 10 years, and at the time of her death, she was Board president. She was a longtime resident of Keyport and an active member in both the school district and the community.

"She was a beautiful soul who touched countless lives through her tireless contributions to the Keyport Schools, youth programs, and the town of Keyport," posted the Keyport Football Alumni Association on Facebook on March 14, the day after her death. "All of our love and support to Ann’s family. May she rest in peace."

Keyport Mayor Collette Kennedy asked the town to turn their porch lights red over the weekend, and to tie red ribbons in their yards in Panzarelli's honor.

"Our community is in mourning this weekend and will be for the foreseeable future," posted Kennedy in a public post on her Facebook page the day after she died.

“In honor of her role as president of the Keyport board of education, as well as her dedication to many local organizations, including the Keyport Indians, as a way to show support to her family and community during this difficult time, you may want to consider turning your porch light to red or tie a red ribbon on a tree in your yard,” the statement read. “Red represents the Keyport school district color as well as the Keyport Indians (youth football). Both are places Mrs. Panzarelli dedicated countless hours of her time and we as a community as a whole are better because of all that she did.”

“I consider myself fortunate to have learned so much from her. She was part of everything in this community. She impacted everyone. There are not many people in your life that you can honestly say that about," Keyport schools superintendent Lisa Savoia told the Asbury Park Press over the weekend.

Panzarelli worked for the Matawan-Aberdeen school district as a substitute school bus driver, wrote Ramsey.

Ramsey said she first created the GoFundMe to help her family pay for Panzarelli's lost wages when she got sick, but the money raised will now help pay for funeral expenses and for her family's needs. Two of her children are in college and her youngest was only in elementary school when she lost her mother.

"Ann is married to the love of her life who she has three wonderful children with," wrote Ramsey. "Ann is the most caring, generous person and is always the very first to lend support where it is needed. It is now time to show that her generosity never goes unnoticed and that we are all here to do whatever we can for her and her family!!"

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