Patricia Thoms Benyola

Patricia Thoms Benyola of Tinton Falls, New Jersey passed away peacefully April 30, 2021. Born 1945 she was raised in Rutherford, NJ before moving to The Shore in 1960 with her parents, Helen and Vin and four siblings Vin, Brian, Gerry and Pam. She was a graduate of St. Rose High School in Belmar and proud alumnus.

Pat was a trailblazing RN and worked in the field of psychiatry and emergency medicine before ultimately becoming a Certified Hospice and Palliative Care nurse for more than 20 years with the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey and Meridian. She created the first ever Palliative Care Department at what is now Hackensack Meridian Health at Home. Colleagues called on her to navigate the most complex patient needs who urgently required pain and symptom management when what others were doing wasn’t working.

Pat was a published author of Signs of Life, a journal of true patient and family experiences on the phenomenon of life after death and the profound signs left by them. She was a Master Reiki and enjoyed studying spirituality and religions of the world. Pat took a 10-year hiatus from nursing to pursue entrepreneurship in real estate, ultimately becoming the Vice President of Pride Realty. She was hugely successful and a natural at the art of negotiation.

She lived her life on purpose and touched the lives of so many both professionally and personally. Pat and her husband Paul had the most incredible love story and a marriage that was an example for their only daughter Lauren and everyone who knew them. Pat threw the family’s big Christmas Eve party every year for over 50 years, usually attended by more than 20. Everything, literally everything, was made from scratch with love. In fact, she often threw parties for no reason, only to be with one another.

Despite working full time as a Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse, regularly working overtime and writing a book, she cooked dinner every single night as if it was Sunday. Pat, Paul and Lauren had a tradition to eat dinner together with no distractions or rush and catch up on the day while listening to music.

Pat’s legacy lives on with her daughter Lauren and son-in-law John, brother Brian, and so many loving cousins, nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, please express your thoughts and any favorite memories or stories of Pat to her family on our Tribute Wall.