ROWLEY — Kathleen “Kay” (O’Neill) Graham, of Rowley, passed away peacefully at her home on Tuesday, Oct. 2, with members of her family nearby. She was the loving wife of the late Gordon W. Graham, who died in March 1992.
She was the daughter of the late Veronica (Meurer) and Thomas O’Neill. She was born on Jan. 17, 1934 in Jersey City and grew up there.
She spent her summers at Indian Lake in Denville, N.J. She was educated at St. Michael’s High School in Union City, N.J., graduating in 1952. After high school, she worked as a secretary in New York City for several years. She met her husband, Gordon, in 1955 and married him in May 1956. They lived in Denville, N.J. until 1960, when they moved to Rowley. She spent the rest of her life in Rowley, yet still managed to maintain her familiar “Jersey“ accent.
Kay was a devoted mother, housewife and homemaker while her children grew up in Rowley. She was involved in Cub Scouts as a den mother, Girl Scouts as a troop leader and the Rowley PTA. She was a hockey and little league mom. She was a devoted parishioner at St. Mary’s Church in Rowley and was active in the former Rowley Catholic Club for many years. She was a fan of all New England’s sports teams while also retaining her rooting interest in the New York Giants. After her children were grown, she worked for a number of years at RCH Associates and Winninghoff Boats, both in Rowley. In recent years, she was involved in the Friends of the Rowley Council on Aging, serving on the Board of Directors as secretary.
Throughout the years, she enjoyed bowling, golfing and traveling with her husband. She also loved vacations to Indian Lake and Bartonsville, Vt. with her husband and children. In later years, she was active in line-dancing, socializing and taking trips with the large group of good friends she knew and loved through the Rowley Council on Aging. She enjoyed hosting social events throughout the years for her family, friends and the friends of her children, who were always welcome in her home. She especially enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and the various cats and dogs who she shared her home with.
Kay is survived by four children, Gordon of Peabody, Theresa Gill and her husband Gerry, of Deerfield, N.H., Tom of Rowley and Joe and his wife Jeanne of Rowley. She is also survived by eight loving grandchildren, Gerry Gill of Deerfield, N.H., Anna Gill of Warwick, R.I., Robert Gill of Manchester, N.H., and Matthew Gill and his fiance’ Stephanie Brown of Manchester, N.H., Amanda Graham of Amesbury, and Joe, Justin, and Jared Graham of Rowley. She is also survived by her brother-in-law Bruce Graham and sister-in-law Alice Graham, as well as many nieces, nephews and dear good friends.
ARRANGEMENTS: A Funeral Mass will be offered at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6, in St. Mary’s Church, Main Street, Rowley. Burial will follow in Main Street Cemetery, Rowley. A period of visitation will be held on Friday, Oct. 5, 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at the F.S. Roberts and Son Funeral Home, 14 Independent St., Rowley. Donations may be made to Rowley Council on Aging, P.O. Box 523, Rowley, MA 01969; the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, P.O. Box 4527, New York, NY 10163 or to the New Hampshire Special Olympics, 650 Elm Street, Manchester, NH 03101-2508. For information, directions or to send condolences Please visit www.fsrobertsandson.com
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