Obituary of Catherine Teresa “Kitty” Daly Greene

Catherine Teresa “Kitty” (Daly) Greene, 91, of Clinton, New Jersey, died peacefully at home on April 9, 2018, with family at her side.

Kitty was born in Woburn, Massachusetts on April 13, 1926, to Catherine Louise (Mawn) Daly and John Francis Daly, both of Irish descent.

The middle of three daughters, Kitty loved reading, music, playing with her sisters and girlfriends, and time spent alongside her beloved maternal grandmother, Margaret "Maggie" (McGuire) Mawn, who nurtured and helped raise the three little girls after the death of their mother. Upon graduating from high school, Kitty worked in Boston, a city she loved, and in nearby municipalities in secretarial and administrative capacities for several years. In 1948, she met Arthur James Greene, Jr, of Winthrop, while visiting his family’s New Hampshire strawberry farm; they would marry four years later.

Arthur’s career as an FBI Special Agent would take them first to Springfield, Illinois, and eventually to New City, New York, where they created a home and community for themselves and for their six children. When their eldest child went off to college, Kitty went back to work as an assistant to the librarian at Nyack High School. She would bring to the job a love for learning and research, attributes that would greatly benefit not only the high school students but also her own children. She retired after 20 years of service.

Kitty enjoyed adventures with family and friends, dancing, gardening, antiquing and decorating for the holidays (her green glass and turkey collections are now in family homes throughout the country). She loved to travel near and far, and to go to the beach, to her beloved Jersey Shore in the early years, and to Florida with Art and friends in the later years. Kitty cherished her sisters, her lifelong friendships, and spending time with "the ladies."

The pond and stream behind her New City home (lovingly referred to as “13 Elyse”) held a special place in her heart, as did the many pets she loved and helped care for throughout much of her life. Not one to shy away from a challenge, Kitty could be found on stage in a Catholic Big Sisters' production, running in a neighborhood foot race, or traveling by train, solo, hundreds or thousands of miles to visit her children and grandchildren.
Kitty’s willingness to stand and speak up for what she thought fair and just left a deep and lasting impression on her children.

Kitty and Art showered their family with love, generosity, compassion and support, and always made their children’s friends feel welcome. They worked hard and loved deeply.

Kitty was predeceased by her husband of nearly 50 years, Arthur, and her sisters, Mary McCabe and Anna Calnan. She is survived by her son Stephen Greene of Clinton, NJ and daughter-in-law Elaine Greene of Providence, RI; daughter Mary Greene of New City, NY; son John Greene and daughter-in-law Allison Greene of Tulsa, OK; daughter Katie Greene and son-in-law Robert Creed of Todd, NC; daughter Carol Dole and son-in-law Kelly Dole of Seattle, WA; daughter Janice Chauvette and son-in-law Mark Chauvette of Austin, TX; grandchildren Michael, and his wife Samantha, John, Danielle, and her husband Brian, Stephen, Max, and his wife Joy, Annie, Connor, Alexis, Sean, Chelsea, Tucker, Abigail, and Kyle; great grandchildren Brody, Bailey, Dustin, and Jack; and many nieces and nephews.

A cremains burial service for Catherine and Arthur will be held at St. Anthony’s Church Cemetery, Nanuet, NY, at 11:15am on July 28, 2018, followed by a luncheon in the area.