Ilona "Lonny" Wunschel Kerst Palmieri

On the morning of November 5, 2024, the world said goodbye to a person that left it a better place for all of us. As anyone who ever met her can attest, Lonny was a powerhouse. She transcended every hardship she faced, crossed social boundaries (without even seeming to notice them), fought relentlessly for the things she knew were right and important, and led by (mostly) quiet example. And she did all of this with grace, humor, and a smile that lit up a room.

As customary, here’s a basic bio, which provides the times, places, and names. Lonny grew up in Tenafly, NJ and attended the Rhode Island School of Design. In 1963 she met and married Loren Kerst, a fellow student at RISD. They moved to Kalamazoo, MI and then soon after to Fair Haven, NY. They had three children, Jonna (Joe) Gilfus, Joshua (Heidi) Kerst, and Seth (Shannon) Kerst. She loved and practiced art in their barn studio—putting together a living selling artwork, painting signs, and teaching art. In the early 1970’s a new adventure began—the creation of Fair Haven Marine Service, and Lonny’s skill as a businesswoman and love for racing sailboats blossomed.

After Loren’s untimely death in 1981, Lonny married Richard Palmieri, and Chris (Heidi) Palmieri joined the family. Together Rich and Lonny built a house on the west side of Fair Haven and continued to grow the marina and the love for sailing and racing across the region.

But beyond those names, dates, and places are the details that provide a sense of who Lonny was, and why so many people loved her.

Lonny was a fast sailor, and one of the first female helmspersons for J/24 Worlds. She was virtually unbeatable in light air because of her unending patience awaiting the slightest fresh breeze (“the deck is eggshells, everyone!”). Lonny was one of the first female commodores in NYS at Fair Haven Yacht Club (time to put that portrait up, friends).

She loved van Gogh’s work (as you might have guessed from the name of her J/35—Starry Night). She drew and designed the house she and Rich built. She could do the entire NYTimes crossword puzzle with ease, and often did the puzzle with her mother by phone on Sundays (sometimes in ink). She baked a mean Christmas spritzer cookie and Hungarian pastry.

Lonny fought for the creation of the Sterling Nature Center and the preservation of this land for all of us. She was one of the first females to lead the CNY Marine Dealers Association. She served as the Sterling Town Supervisor, and as an assistant to two members of the New York State Assembly. She had a sweet quiet voice that made people lean in and really listen, and she spoke only when she had something important and interesting to say (unlike most of the Kersts she lived with).

Lonny is survived by her husband, Richard; her siblings Frank (Joann) Wunschel, Eric (Barbara) Wunschel, George (Diana) Wunschel, and Jeanne Watai; her children; and nine grandchildren: Zachary (London) Gilfus, Georgia Gilfus, Tyler Gilfus, Julia Kerst, Jason Kerst, Caitlyn (Sam) Spaulding, Emily Kerst, Chloe Kerst, and Charlie Palmieri.

There are no immediate services planned, but there will be a gathering in the spring. Her wishes are for all those who loved her to remember her with joy rather than sorrow. Foster Funeral Home has care of arrangements.