Obituaries

Obit: Katherine "Kitty" Keegan

In lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions be sent to the Holy Angels Regional School Library, the successor to St. Francis De Sales School at 1 Division Street, Patchogue, NY 11772.

Contributed by the Keegan family.

Katherine Keegan : March 3, 1923- March 8, 2012.

Katherine, always affectionately known as Kitty, was predeceased by her husband Thomas J. Keegan (2003) a Patchogue attorney who started the Law Firm of Keegan and Keegan. The couple met as children in the same Brooklyn neighborhood and were married upon Mr. Keegan's return from service in the Navy during World War II. .

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Kitty is survived by her six children: Kathleen Keegan Cloonan of Kingston, NY; Thomas J. Keegan, Jr. of Patchogue, Margaret "Peggy" Keegan of Potomac , MD; Maureen Keegan of Kingston, NY; Stephen E. Keegan of East Moriches; and Theresa Keegan Twombley of Kingston, NY and their respective spouses. These spouses   dubbed the outlaws  include William Cloonan, Peggy Keegan, Sam Morgante, David Bolles, Diane Bianchini and Kevin Twombly.  She is also survived by 14 grandchildren and six great grandchildren as well as her brother, Stephen Keane of Laguna Hills California and her sister in law Agnes Keegan of Manhattan. Her grandchildren are Caitlin Cloonan, Molly Stammel, Thomas J. Keegan III, Kelly Desing, Samuel Morgante, Matthew Morgante,  Ryan Bolles, Jane Bolles, Evan Nahnsen, Kerry Anne Keegan, Alexa Keegan, Stephen E. Keegan, Jr., KC Keegan Twombly and Colleen Twombly,  Her great grandchildren are Connor Lindgren, Christopher Lindgren. Karly Desing, Evan Desing, Thomas J. Keegan IV and Jack Keegan.

Kitty was a dedicated and active community participant devoting  time to  the Women's Club of Patchogue, and was active in the Saint Francis De Sales Parish for more than 50 years participating in The Rosary Altar Society and a Columbiette  in the Patchogue Council 725. She spent decades volunteering at and founded and managed the School Library there, continuing her volunteer work even after the last of her children had graduated from the school. She was a former President of the St. Francis De Sales Parent Teachers Association.

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In an era before car seats and cell phones, Kitty Keegan understood the challenges of six children, one car, a 1957 pink and white chevy station wagon and getting kids around the suburbs. She earned the nickname "Hurricane Kitty" in the 1960's as she became known for her ability to race a car load of teenagers to the Davis Park Ferry without ever missing one.

Hers was a life rich with family, and she devoted herself to her children and her husband, her church and in later years as Nana, repeated the Hurricane Kitty trips by bringing a new generation to the penny candy store out east.

The “Hurricane Kitty” moniker served her and the family well as it has been used to brand one of the more popular beers at in Patchogue, where her son Thomas is an owner as well as at Keegan Ales, a family owned Brewery in Kingston, NY operated by her grandson Thomas J. Keegan III.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions be sent  to the Library, the successor to St. Francis De Sales School at 1 Division Street, Patchogue, NY 11772.  


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