Dr. Paula Holleran, 82, of Oneonta, NY and Sarasota, FL, passed away on August 25, 2020, while surrounded by her family. The SUNY Oneonta Professor Emeritus fought a difficult sixteen-month battle with a bone marrow disorder which progressed into Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Born on November 7, 1937 in Brooklyn, NY to Angelo and Jean Rizzo, Paula spent a happy childhood playing stoop ball and stick ball with her neighborhood friends and beloved pink Spauldine ball. She loved her roller skates and Columbia bicycle and never parted with either.  Paula went to Bay Ridge High School in Brooklyn where she served as the president of the school. She attended Brooklyn College and graduated with honors in English, and then headed to the University of Connecticut to complete a Master's degree. Later, she went on to earn a PhD at the University of Massachusetts.

In 1964 she joined the faculty at SUNY Oneonta where she taught Psychology for the next three decades. She thoroughly enjoyed teaching and conducting research. She authored and co-authored several papers and publications, and also served as department chair. She retired in 1995.

In 1969, she met Dr Brian Holleran, also on the SUNY Oneonta faculty. They were married in 1970 and later became the loving and proud parents of Tracy and Brett. On August 22 they celebrated their 50th anniversary.

Paula loved adventure and spent over 60 years traveling the world. She visited all 50 states and travelled extensively throughout Europe, Canada, South and Central America, Russia, and Africa. Her favorite trips were to Italy, especially Sicily. She was very proud of her Italian heritage and as an adult, became near-fluent in the Italian language, which she loved speaking at every opportunity.

She also loved sports and the outdoors: hiking, canoeing, kayaking, skiing, golf, biking, and above all, tennis, her favorite life-long activity, which she played several times a week until last year. Paula also loved many other activities including reading, painting, and writing. She was a member of several book clubs, bridge and Mahjong groups, both in Oneonta, and her second beloved home of Sarasota.

Paula is survived by her loving husband, Brian; her two children and their spouses, Tracy (Steve Mattus) of Fairfield, CT, and Brett (Mica) Holleran of Oneonta, and four grandchildren, who were the lights of her life; Hayden Mattus, Campbell Mattus, Brett Holleran Jr., and Bella Holleran.

Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, funeral arrangements will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Paula's honor to Helios Care (Catskill Area Hospice) helioscare.org/donate or St. Mary's Catholic Church stmarysoneonta.weshareonline.org/

Expressions of sympathy may be shared on, www.lhpfuneralhome.com , the website of Oneonta's only family owned funeral home, Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono at 51 Dietz Street.