Honey Palumbo

Violet Palumbo, known by her friends and family as Honey Palumbo, age 96 who was a long-time resident of Flushing, NY, and previously Astoria Queens and Manhattan passed away peacefully in Cypress Gardens where she was recuperating following her fall and partial hip surgery in December, 2025 on the morning of May 30, 2026. Honey was born in Manhattan in 1930 but lived and went to school at Mother Cabrini School in West Park, Ulster County, NY from the age of 5 until her upper teens when she went back home to reunite with her family in Manhattan. She did not earn a high school diploma but received her GED later in life at the encouragement of her husband and children.

Her first job was at the Horn and Hardart Automat in Manhattan alongside her sister and always had fun stories to tell about her adventures there.

Honey later worked as a “Cat Lady” as she used to call it at Animal Haven in Flushing. She was responsible for taking care of the cats in the rescue. She had a passion for working with the cats.

Over the years we spent time at Sylvan Lake in Dutchess County and Honey loved to swim, specifically the doggy paddle. She was an avid reader and would read through books very quickly. She would go to flea markets and garage sales looking for cheap books. You would always see her with a book in hand sitting lakeside. She especially loved spooky, scary and alien type books.

She loved to crochet and would give away her creations to her friends. She especially liked making little balls filled with catnip for the cats where she worked and for her furry grand cats as she called them.

She loved to cook and would share her recipes and food with her friends or anyone she would meet. She would talk to everyone she would meet, even in a line waiting to be served at the store. We used to tease her that she would talk to the wall if it would talk back. She also loved to get and give hugs and kisses to all of her friends.

Honey was a singer in the choir at St. John Vianney church in Flushing for many years. She loved writing poetry and wrote a few songs including some that were sung at the church.

Honey married the love of her life, Salvatore Palumbo, in June of 1955 and they were married until his death in 1992. Honey is survived by her daughter, Rosemarie Bodur and her husband Niyazi Bodur, and her furry grand cats; her son, Robert Palumbo and his wife Ellen Mariano Palumbo; and her son, Salvatore Palumbo whom she lived with until her fall in November.

Viewing will be held on Tuesday, June 2 from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm with a short service at 4:00 pm. Viewing will resume from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Frederick Funeral Home located at 192-15 Northern Boulevard, Flushing, NY 11358, 718-357-6100. The funeral mass will take place at 10:00 am on Wednesday, June 3 at St. John Vianney Roman Catholic Church at 140-10 34th Ave, Flushing, NY 11354, 718-762-7920.

Honey will be laid to rest at Mount St. Mary Cemetery at 172-00 Booth Memorial Ave, Flushing, NY 11365. Family and friends are welcome to attend.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made in her name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.