Ronnie Singer September 8, 1951 - January 26, 2022
Woodland Park, New Jersey - Singer, Ronnie Furlong, 70, passed away on January 26, 2022, at home surrounded by family after a more than two-decade battle with breast cancer. Ronnie is survived by her husband, best friend and extraordinary caretaker, Bruce Singer, her children Jennifer (David) and Andrew (Rebecca), grandchildren Lila, Zachary, Emma, and Jacob, twin brother Robert (Elyse) Furlong, M.D., sisters Roberta (Peter) Hazl and Robin Straus-Furlong, M.D. (the late Richard B. Furlong, M.D.), and many nieces and nephews.
Born in New York City on September 8, 1951 to Paul James Furlong, M.D. and Estelle Gruber Furlong, Esq., Ronnie and her family moved to Miami Beach in 1955. She met Bruce while attending North Beach Elementary School and graduated from Miami Beach Senior High where she was Captain of the cheerleading squad and a thespian - known for her leading role as Anna in “The King And I”. Ronnie and Bruce wed in 1980 and, for more than four decades, they shared an incredible, love-filled journey with wondrous adventures, as they raised a family and supported each other’s professional endeavors.
In addition to her cherished roles as a mother and wife, Ronnie had a remarkable career. She owned Ronnie’s Place, an upscale ladies’ sportswear store in Coral Springs, FL and was a partner in Just Baskets, a Miami Beach gift basket retail business that franchised six stores. She parlayed her skills into a professional career as the Executive Director of Miami Beach’s North Beach Development Corporation, where she was often called the “Mother of North Beach” and recognized as a champion for local residents and small businesses alike.
Beloved by the community, Ronnie became Executive Assistant to the City Manager of Miami Beach overseeing the City’s three development corporations covering South Beach, North Beach, and the Lincoln Road Business District. In 2005, Ronnie and Bruce retired from their Miami Beach careers and transitioned to owning and operating a highly acclaimed bed & breakfast, Devonfield Inn, in the heart of Massachusetts Berkshire mountains. After thirteen years, Ronnie and Bruce moved to New Jersey to be near their children and grandchildren. Of all her achievements, Ronnie was most proud of her family.
Ronnie was a courageous woman who never allowed her cancer and all of its evil tendrils to define her. She was a quiet warrior who defied many medical odds and fought like hell to the very end, all with a smile and her signature “I’m fine.” Wife, mother, grandmother/”Biabia,” sister, aunt and friend, Ronnie will live on in our memories as the ultimate example of class, beauty, dignity and grace. We will love her always “as high as the sky, as deep as the ocean.”
Donations may be made in Ronnie’s honor to support breast cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center at http://mskcc. convio.net/goto/ronniesinger.