Obituary of Arleen Rose Amity

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Arleen Rose Amity of Roanoke, TX who left this world on February 21, 2025, after a lengthy battle with COPD.

She was born in Neptune, NJ on August 1, 1935, to Leo Roscoe Austin and Rose Catherine Austin (Liebler).  At the age of 11 months, her father died as the result of a hit and run driver in Freehold; her mother Rose was devastated as he was the sole provider, and she had three young children. While it was not easy, the family persevered moving to Jersey City, NJ where Rose could find employment. The family flourished and prospered.

 Arleen lived many years in East Brunswick, NJ until she moved to Bel Air, MD upon retiring to be closer to her daughter Catherine and son-in-law David and enjoy her granddaughters.  When they were moving to Texas, she gave up her East Coast roots and spent the next 23 years in Texas. 

Arleen was an avid reader and would devour all genres of books.  Crossword puzzles were her favorite pastime completing WSJ and NY Times Crosswords religiously.  The kitchen was where she shined, making wonderful dinners and desserts for her family and friends. Her Christmas Eve Open House was famous for voluminous amounts of food and good cheer.  You could always count on her to have solid counsel and genuinely care about the people around her. She loved her children and would move heaven and earth for them.

After she was divorced, she began a career as a bookkeeper for Cary Chemicals for over 20 years. She was a steady and dependable employee who enjoyed her work and the people she worked with.   She met Edward Szyrwiel, whom she loved dearly and the two had a wonderful partnership for years until Edward passed.

Arleen was a beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother and yes even a great- great grandmother whose unwavering love for her family will be deeply missed.

Arleen is predeceased by her parents, Leo and Rose Austin, her brother, Leo Richard Austin (Betty), and her sister Emily Connolly (William).

She is survived by her daughters Catherine Collier (David) of Roanoke, TX and Carol Willard (Paul) of Tolleson, Arizona; son Frederick Amity (Mary) of Pendleton, Indiana; grandchildren Danielle Abellar (Carlo), Amanda Bruce (Patrick), Aime George (Chris), Jena Patel (Sameer), Rachel Brown (Andrew); great grandchildren Alexys Johnson, Jaeden Sumner, Vytoria Sumner, Aviana Abellar, Louie Bruce, Ronan Patel, Chloe Patel, Theo Brown and her great-great grandchildren Santito Peralto and Eden Sumner.

Friends and family are invited to visit on March 5, 2025, from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm and March 6, 2025, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am with funeral services beginning at 11:00 am.

Her warmth, wisdom and laughter will live on forever in the hearts of those who knew and loved her. Her family will cherish her memory forever.