Yolanta Zofia Zaba, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away peacefully at her home in Boynton Beach, Florida on the morning of March 25, 2026. She was 78 years old.

Born on May 14, 1947 in Poland, Yolanta — known warmly to all as Yola — was the eldest of two daughters born to Kazimierz and Anna Twardo. Her father, Kazimierz, served in the Polish underground resistance during the Second World War. She immigrated to the United States in 1967, where she built a life defined by love, hard work, community, and an enduring pride in both her Polish heritage and her American citizenship.

It was in the United States that Yola met and married Matthew Zaba. Together they shared 51 years of marriage, adventure, and devotion before his passing in 2020. A longtime resident of New Britain, Connecticut, Yola later made Boynton Beach, Florida her permanent home.

Yola was a woman of quiet determination and intellect. She earned her Bachelor's degree from Central Connecticut State University and went on to build a career, retiring from a management position at Aetna Healthcare. She later served as Director of Medical Records at a nursing facility before relocating to Florida.

In retirement, Yola's energy and generosity found a natural home in volunteerism. She was a proud volunteer with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department at the airport, the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, and her local library, where books and reading held a cherished place in her heart. She taught English to immigrants through The Woman's Circle in Boynton Beach and served on the board of her condominium association for five years. She was the kind of person who was always busy, always helpful, and always positive.

Travel was one of Yola's great joys. She and Matthew explored the national parks of the United States in their RV and traveled overseas together, including frequent visits to family in Poland. She loved people, music, morning walks to the beach, and gathering with friends — but nothing brought her more happiness than her family and her grandchildren.

Yola was an independent, strong, and spirited woman who touched every life she entered. She will be profoundly missed and forever remembered.

She is survived by her daughter, Ursula Zaba McCarthy, her husband James Patrick McCarthy, and their daughters Madaline Yolanta McCarthy and Zoe Christine McCarthy; her son, Michael Cazmir Zaba, his wife Megan Marie Zaba, and their son Timothy Michael Zaba; and her sister, Małgorzata Bartosiewicz of Warsaw, Poland, her husband Jan Bartosiewicz, their son Krzysztof Bartosiewicz, his wife Joanna Bartosiewicz, and their daughter Helenka Bartosiewicz.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Matthew Zaba, and her parents, Kazimierz and Anna Twardo.

Services will be held in both Florida and Connecticut. Details are forthcoming.