Armando A. Bona

Armando A. Bona of Passumpsic reposed in the Lord on Saturday, August 26, 2023. He was 87 years old.  He was the son of the late Angelo and Angelina Bona also of Passumpsic.

He attended Barnet schools, and he was in the last group to attend the old County Hill Schoolhouse.  In 1954, he graduated from St. Johnsbury Academy and, subsequently, from Becher Junior College in 1956.  He received his BS. Ed. from Fordham University in 1962 and his M.A. from Hunter College of the City of New York in 1965.

In 1966 he began a long career with the New York City Public Schools as a teacher of social studies, first at IS 33 in Brooklyn, and later at IS 126 in Queens.  In his last 8 years of service, he was also Chapter Chairman of the United Federation of Teachers, Local No. 1, AFL-CIO at IS 126.  In 1991, he retired and returned to the family farm on County Hill Road in Passumpsic.

Bona was ordained to the Orthodox diaconate at the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of the Transfiguration of Our Lord in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, on April 20, 1981, by His Grace Archbishop Peter (L’Huillier). He was elevated to protodeacon in 1989.  While in New York, he also served at the Cathedral of Protection of the Holy Virgin at 159 East 2^nd Street.  He was for many years a parishioner and deacon at Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Berlin, NH.

He had many hobbies, and his first love was opera.  He was a collector of ‘live’ performances ranging from 1935 to current performances from Europe, South America, and elsewhere, and had a collection of well over 1000 performances.  He was a contributor to a number of books on the subject of opera.

He liked to work and take care of his land in Passumpsic.  He had an apple orchard and experimented successfully with grafting plums and cherries onto native Vermont rootstock.  He also liked to travel, especially to Italy, Russia, and Argentina.  He was very close to his Italian family near Genoa, Italy, as well as relatives in Patagonia, Argentina.

He leaves no immediate family members. His family members were his cats and his numerous good friends in the area.

Visitation will take place on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, 4-6PM at Sayles Funeral Home, 525 Summer Street in St. Johnsbury, VT.  Funeral Martins will be held on Thursday, August 31, 2023, 6:00PM at St. Jacob of Alaska Orthodox Church, 376 VT-12, Northfield, VT.  A Memorial Liturgy will be held Friday, September 1, 2023, 10:00AM.  Burial will follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, St. Johns Street, St. Johnsbury, VT at approximately 12:30PM.

Memorial donations can be made to Good Shepherd Catholic School, 121 Maple St, St Johnsbury, VT 05819.

Memories and condolences can be shared online at www.caledonialifeservices.com