Mary Naomi (Hromadka) McGovern Borromey

On September 23, 2025, our mother, Mary Naomi (Hromadka) McGovern Borromey, passed away comfortably in her home, in her bed, and surrounded by family. She was 99 years old and lived a full and meaningful life filled with love and family. Affectionately called "Sis" by her family, to everyone else she was known as Naomi. She was born in Baltimore on February 1, 1926, to Josephine and Matthew Hromadka. Along with her brother, Gene, her entire youth was spent in the loving embrace of the Czech community of St Wenceslaus Parish surrounded by family, friends, church and school. Her family was musical. She was a mezzo soprano with a beautiful voice and loved to sing all of her life. An outstanding student, Naomi attended the College of Notre Dame - Baltimore and was the first in her extended family to graduate college. She won a scholarship to do graduate work at Georgetown University where she earned a Masters degree and PhD in biochemistry. When she graduated in 1951, she was, at the time, the youngest woman to ever earn a PhD from Georgetown. In 1949, while in the library (where else?), she bumped into Joseph J McGovern, Jr. MD, when he approached her and asked: "excuse me, but may I have one of your Lifesavers candies?" They were married in 1950, and shortly thereafter moved to Boston. Together, over the next 10 years, they had five children together: Joe, Gerard, Marcia, Ann and John. In 1965, while living in Sudbury, MA they divorced, and for the next 10 years, mom single handedly worked and raised five kids. These were lean and hard years but she held the whole thing together through grit, determination and love. In the early 1970's, while working full time and raising her family, mom went to night school and got a Master's Degree in Education, and as a result of this she landed her dream job: high school guidance counselor at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School. In some ways, being a good high school guidance counselor is much like being a good mother. A great guidance counselor is someone who listens, advises and gently guides a young person along the best course. She was a great guidance counselor. In the summer of 1978, while picking strawberries at Mahoney's Farm in Sudbury, mom bumped into and shared strawberries with the man who turned out to be the love of her life: Romeo J. Borromey, also of Sudbury. Her kids all grown and out on their own, they were married in July 1979. For the next 13 years Naomi and Rom shared some of their happiest years together. Theirs was a marriage defined by kindness, consideration and love for each other: A truly happy marriage. After Rom passed away, mom eventually moved to Connecticut to live with her son John and daughter-in-law, Zhou Yu-Hui. For the next 25 years, they lived together in both Wolcott and West Hartford, CT. During this time, she was surrounded by family with frequent gatherings both large and small. During this time she also spent the winters in St Petersburg FL with her Hromadka cousins. These times were filled with happiness. Mom's life was truly blessed. It was long, it was healthy, and it was filled with loving family, and this is what she cherished most. She is survived by her children: Joe, Gerard, Marcia, Ann & John. By in-laws: Brenda McGovern, Zhou Yu-Hui, and Duc MacAdam. By her eight grandchildren: Toby, Ben, Andrea, Sarah, Rhys, Griffin, Chelsea and Leah. And by five great grandchildren: Lenny, Thomas, Maddox, Miles, and Colson. She will be interred with Rom at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Notre Dame of Maryland University, "Financial Aid and Scholarship Fund"