So very sad to hear about Mr. Gonellas' passing.  He was our history teacher at St.Agnes. He was kind, generous, and very wise. He shared his wisdom and his life's adventures with us and had a profound impact on the lives of many of his students, including mine.  He was a one-of-a-kind teacher who will never be forgotten. I am so blessed to have crossed paths with him. His love for teaching will be remembered always. 

My condolences to the family. 

With love, Martha Marshall - LoBianco - Class of 1976

He was special. A  kind and compassionate person.  Every  year when I got his Christmas card I planned to visit him but I was/am a mess and never did.  You made an impact  Mr. Gonella, Ron, Thank you so very much.

Our deepest condolences on the passing of Mr. Gonella.  Mr. Gonella was our history teacher at St. Agnes over 50 years ago, and yet his memory lives on in our minds and hearts.  He was always kind, jovial, and wise.  We loved hearing about his time spent in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia, and his stories opened our minds and awareness to the vast world beyond our doorsteps and our duty to serve our fellow man.  He goes down as one of the best teachers we've ever had. RIP Mr. Gonella and thanks for the stories!

With Love,    Mary Dineen and friends...year of 1972

To family and friends,

You were blessed to have him. 

I had the opportunity to speak with Ron from January through March of this year.  He was optimistic, hopeful and shared his stories. He spoke greatly of St. Agnes and the memories shared. 

His travels dictate the passion he had, acknowledging the struggles of history past and present. We reflected on those teachers lost to us and the many contributions and sacrifice.

He loved his work and we thank him for his service.

So sad to hear about Ron.  He was a very nice guy,  a great story teller and a very good cook and loved to talk about his daughter,  son in law and grandkids.  He will be missed.

Ron came to Eritrea, Africa in 1966 as a Peace Corps volunteer. But, from the moment he arrived, he became so much more than a teacher. He became part of our community - fully, wholeheartedly, and with such humility and openness that it was impossible not to embrace him in return.
Even after his Peace Corps years, Ron never let go his connection to Eritrean and to Africa. He returned to visit, not once, but several times - his ties to us were strong and enduring.
On behalf of my family and all his former students from Eritrea: thank you, Ron. We will never forget you. Your legacy lives on - in our hearts, in our stories, and the lives we lead because you once believed in us.
May you rest in peace. And may we continue to honour you, always.
Your former Eritrean students

I could listen to Mr. Gonella talk about his traveling, world events, and jokes for ages. He taught us all that there was so much more going on outside our doors. What an incredible life lived. My condolences to his family.

Remembering a great enthusiastic instructor. Yearbook photos cherished. Time passes, memories do not fade. He left his mark. His family is blessed.

What a wonderful human being he was,  great respect for him.  Glad to have been taught by him at St. Agnes as his passion for teaching was evident.  Very sad to know you have left.  Thank you for everything.   My condolences to his family.  May he rest in peace 🙏

I was a student at St. Agnes. Mr. Gonella was a wonderful teacher.  He will be greatly missed. 

My condolences to his family. 

Rest in peace Mr. Gonella.

I went to St. Agnes 1972-1976 He was the best teacher.  You could talk to him about anything! Condolences to his family. He had an incredible impact on my life.

He was my Social Studies teacher but we became friends after I left High School. He will be missed as I have so many fond memories with him!

My condolences to the Gonella Family. May he go in peace and guard you with his amazing wings. He was my favorite teacher in St Agnes where he taught social studies. He inspired me to go away to college and explore the world. I’ve always loved history because of him. His passion for understanding different cultures I’ve adopted in my own life and hope to pass that to my own kids. I have the best memories of high school exploring NYC because of him. He was truly an inspiring human. So sorry for your loss. 
- class of 2000 St Agnes

Mr. Gonella was my social studies and one of the best teachers St. Agnes had.  When I reconnected with him on Facebook I wasn't sure he would remember me.  But he did! He was a lovely, genuine and kind man who will be missed.

Today, I want to take a moment to express my deepest condolences to the Gonella family. Mr. Gonella was not just a history teacher at St. Agnes High School—he was a mentor and inspiration to everyone fortunate enough to sit in his classroom.

His passion for history and travel was infectious inspiring my interest in history and eventually influenced my decision to becoming a teacher. His wisdom extended far beyond the pages of a textbook, leaving an indelible mark on so many lives.

Rest in peace, Mr. Gonella.

Sending my deepest condolences.. Mr Gonella was one of my teachers at St.Agnes;  we kept in touch via fb he checked in from time to time.. such a beautiful soul… May you rest in peace 🙏🕊️

Mr. Gonella was my history teacher at Agnes. He ignited my interest in history and global affairs. He was well traveled, humorous, and blunt. He never sugar coated anything and he always encouraged us to travel the world and to experience life. Not every teacher can leave a mark or impression but he did. He was a strong intelligent man who taught a class of teenage girls that there are no limits to your curiosity of the world. I thank him for all he taught us and may he rest in peace.

He was my Social Studies teacher in high school. One of my fondest memories is when we went to see Les Misérables on Broadway together. May he rest in peace. My deepest condolences to his family and close friends.

Mr Gonella was a kind, caring and amazing teacher to so many of us at St. Agnes.  I am saddened to hear of his passing.
My heartfelt condolences to his family. 
May he Rest In Peace. 🙏

My deepest condolences and prayers are extended to Ronald's family, friends and former students. May he rest in peace in eternal life. May he continue to be an inspiration to all he touched.

Brendan Conway and Family.

There is always that one teacher who you always remember. Who left a very positive impression. Mr. Gonella was that one teacher for me. He was my social studies teacher back in the 90s and to this day I always fondly tell my family about the day he cooked us Ethiopian food in class that he learned on one of his many adventures. He was a very engaging teacher and he will be missed. Prayers to his family.

Ron was always a inspiration to me. My condolences to his family.
Kaydeepg@gmail.com

OBITUARY

Ronald Richard Gonella

November 6, 1942 – April 15, 2025

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