As for me and my household, we shall serve the Lord.
Kathleen Susan (Gaffney) Keogh (1948-2022) passed away peacefully on Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at the James Cancer Hospital after a brief, but intense battle with cancer. Kathleen was born in Los Angeles, CA on August 26th to Gerald and Dorothy Gaffney. They raised her in San Juan Capistrano, CA with an older and three younger brothers, Patrick, Joseph, Matthew and Thomas and a younger sister, Mary Ellen. Kathleen attended the Old Mission School where she excelled at volleyball, softball, Western-style horseback riding, Girl Scouts, and riding in many, many Swallow’s Day Parades. Kathleen attended Mater Dei High School, where she carried the ‘’D” in the Drill Team mostly because she could march, turn corners and keep everyone else in a straight line! Kathleen attended the University of San Diego where she majored in Chemistry, planning a Veterinary Doctor career, until Organic Chemistry stumped her.
Fortunately, a tutor came to her rescue, Philip Keogh. They graduated as Chemistry Majors in May, 1970. Tutoring turned to romance, and Phil and Kathleen married at the Capistrano Mission’s Serra Chapel on September 12, 1970, and moved to San Diego where Phil earned his PhD in Chemistry and Kathleen worked at Scripps Institute doing blood chemistry research. The first of their four children, Christina Marie was born in 1975. The young Keogh family then drove from San Diego to settle in Rochester, NY where Phil had secured employment. They lived in Pittsford Township for 28 years. On highlight of Kathleen’s young life was serving as the Secretary/Volunteer Coordinator at the Monroe County, NY Democrats’ headquarters where she worked on several local, regional and presidential campaigns.
Kathleen and Phil added to their family, and daughters Teresa Lynn and Mary Elizabeth and son, Ignatius Joseph were born. Kathleen is fondly remembered for her work as Volunteer Coordinator for St Louis School, then as the Parish Secretary at St Louis Catholic Church, the Catholic parish to which the family belonged for 28 years. Kathleen and Phil also were active in the parish’s Catholic Family Movement. Over the years they hosted several unwed mothers who needed a refuge where they could deliver their babies and then secure a safe place to live. They also worked with a group providing Marriage Preparation classes to engaged couples across the Rochester Diocese.
Kathleen volunteered at Bishop Kearney High School, where she became famous for cooking “Ma’s Tacos” (Capistrano style) after plays, musicals, band parades and concert events. Many hours were spent at sporting events, particularly soccer practice, games and tournaments in which the Keogh kids played. Kathleen and Phil were also very active with a group of Rochester friends hiking and winter cross country skiing in their beloved Adirondack Mountains; Kathleen was awarded her Winter 5 Patch, which meant she had climbed 5 High Peaks including Algonqui in the winter. Being the adventurous middle-aged couple, they went sky-diving to celebrate their 60th Birthdays. They played bridge and belonged to book clubs.
Kathleen spent many years working in various laboratories at Wyeth/Pfizer in the vaccine development section as the Sample Manager, organizing the acceptance, refrigeration and tracking of blood samples received from around the globe and utilized by company Doctors running tests. It was in this capacity that Kathleen moved her entire laboratory, freezers and staff to Greenwood Lake, NY, where two years later she retired. Phil and Kathleen were dedicated Ambulance Drivers for the Greenwood Lake Volunteer Fire Department, providing numerous interesting stories! Kathleen indulged herself, taking English-style horseback riding, even the difficult type, Dressage.
When looking for a place to retire near two of their daughters in Columbus, OH, Kathleen longed to return to living near water; in 2015 she and Phil found a house in Apple Valley then 4 years later moved into their lakefront dream home. This house was the scene of many famous all-family 4th of July weeks of fun and she always had her knitting and needlepoint hoop at her side. The homemade gift of love from ‘Grandma/Amma’ included birth announcements for each grand child, with personalized Christmas stockings, dresses, sweaters and scarves for all. After years of enduring Rochester winters, Kathleen and Phil vowed not to spend winter in Ohio, purchasing a home in The Villages, Florida, to be near Phil’s brother, Steve; they met crocodiles, joined quilting and train clubs and rode bicycles and their golf carts everywhere, enjoying the live music and family dancing with grandchildren the various Town Squares.
While life was not always easy Kathleen strove to find joy in the little things: she loved to sing and dance to the “Oldies,” she loved to spend time with her many dogs (Ben, Toby, Alex, Max , Sam, Riley & Roxy II). She loved paddle-boarding, reading mysteries, cooking (making weekly menus & food shopping lists), playing bridge and praying her daily devotions from Our Living Word. She raised scholarship funds with her PEO sisters, She and Phil loved outdoor activities like hiking and cross country skiing. Kathleen did her best to extend kindness and urged us all to never give up.
Kathleen is survived by the family that she so dearly loved: her husband Phil, their four children - Chris (husband, Scott) Risley, Teresa (husband, Jason) Albright, Nace (wife, Michelle), Mary Beth (husband, Lucas) Baird and her extraordinary grandchildren Sophia and Matthew Risley, Kiley and Parker Mary Albright, Genevieve and Thomas Keogh, Landon and Vivian Baird; her niece/Goddaughter, Laura (husband,Matt), Holmes and their children Jackson and Kennedy; brothers Joseph Gaffney (wife, Stephanie Bodi), Matthew Gaffney and sister, Mary Ellen Gaffney-Brown. Kathleen is predeceased by her parents, Jerry and Dottie Gaffney, her brothers, Patrick and Thomas and her brother-in-law, Joe Gaffney-Brown.
There will be two services, the first will be a funeral at St Luke’s Catholic Church on Wednesday 12/14 @ 430pm address is 307 N Market St Danville OH 43014. There will be a dinner to follow. The second will be a celebration of life at Dwell’s 4th Street Pavilion Dwell Community Church - 4th Street Pavilion, 1934 N 4th St, Columbus, OH 43201 on Friday 12/16 from 5-6pm will be calling hours and then 6pm we will start the service. Light refreshments will be served afterwards.
If anyone wishes to make a donation in Kathleen’s name, please do so to the American Cancer Society.
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