Jill Zarin Gave an Incredibly Moving Eulogy at Husband Bobby Zarin's Funeral
There wasn't a dry eye in the house.
On January 13, The Real Housewives of New York City alum Jill Zarin lost her beloved husband Bobby Zarin to cancer. As she reels from the loss of her longtime love, the New York mom has posted moving tributes to him on social media and on her website JillZarin.com. Jill also had the difficult task of delivering Bobby's eulogy at his January 15 funeral, and her moving words had everyone in attendance grabbing for tissues.
Jill was the last to speak at the somber occasion, which took place at New York's Riverside Memorial Chapel and was packed with friends and loved ones. "I wasn’t sure if I could stand up here today,” she said. “[Bobby] was an incredibly great husband, a great father, and grandfather, and [a] truly great friend.”
Fighting back tears, the RHONY pal also shared an anecdote that demonstrated Bobby's generosity of spirit. This past December, Jill shared, Bobby was in the hospital when Jill's parents hosted a celebration for their 60th wedding anniversary. Though Jill was hesitant to leave her husband's side, Bobby insisted that she attend the celebration.
She added: "When Bobby got sick in July, I needed something to keep my mind going. [So] I started knitting him a blanket ... He spent the last days of his life snuggled up in it,” she said. “The irony is when I draped it over the casket, it fit perfectly. Bobby knew.”
He was also able to hang on just a little bit longer for his loved ones, Jill said. Shortly before he died, Bobby was surrounded by family at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. When Bobby's eldest son David had to leave the hospital for a short time, Jill asked Bobby not to go until his son was able to return. And in the end, just moments after David returned, Bobby passed away.
Jill's daughter and Bobby's stepdaughter Ally Shapiro also spoke. "[Bobby] was the life of every party and the last man standing, and he derived great pleasure from helping others," she said.
