Regina Sue Konyhas, nee McKelvey, 85, died November 28. She was known to friends and family as Jean or Jeannie and Emma to her beloved grandkids.
Jeannie was born in Toms River and never left. She graduated from Toms River High School in 1954 and from Panzer College in 1958.
Jeannie loved the sun and the beach, as evidenced by her perpetual deep, dark tan and her seven trips to Hawaii. She also enjoyed filling her house with antiques and decorating extensively for every holiday on the calendar.
Most of her career was spent teaching physical education at Walnut Street Elementary School in Toms River. Jeannie put shore area girls’ soccer on the map. She helped launch one of the first girls’ club teams in Toms River. And when girls’ soccer became a high school sport, Jeannie took the head coaching helm at Toms River High School North. Jeannie is a member of the Toms River Athletic Hall of Fame and the NJ State Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame and ran the State of New Jersey Girls Soccer Tournament for many years. It meant the world to her that so many former players stayed in touch years after playing their final games.
Jeannie was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Toms River and taught Sunday School there for many years.
Jeannie was predeceased by her parents and husband Les. She is survived by her two daughters and their husbands, Dawn and Danny Sullivan of Beachwood and Kelly and Dave Parr of Daniel Island, SC; grandson Bryan Sullivan and his fiancé Kaycie Campbell of Baltimore; granddaughter Jenny and her husband Logan King of Kennett Square, PA; grandson Jeff Parr of New York City; adopted son George Rossi of Barnegat; sister and best friend Roberta Sullivan of Toms River; brother Ronald McKelvey of San Antonio, and many nieces and nephews throughout New Jersey, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
We would like to thank Denise, Sara, Gail, Jess, and Nancy at Reflections at Brandywine; Serenity Hospice; the extended Sullivan, Price, and Williams families; the Manchester Tribe; and the many supportive friends who helped the family navigate Jeannie’s Alzheimer’s journey.
Visitation will be held on Friday, December 2, 2022 from 3 pm to 7 pm at Anderson and Campbell Funeral Home, 703 Main St. Toms River. A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday at 10 am at Anderson and Campbell Funeral Home. Entombment will follow at Ocean County Memorial Park in Toms River.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.andersoncampbelltomsriver.com for the Konyhas family.
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