Obituary of Kathleen Mary Flood

Kathleen Flood was born Kathleen Mary Connolly on November 25th, 1927 on a farm in Ballykinave, Claremorris, County Mayo, Ireland. She is the daughter of Thomas Connolly and Delia Curley and grew up with three siblings. Her older brother Christopher (Christie) passed away on March 30th, 1997. Her younger sister Margaret Moloney lives in Tuam, County Galway, Ireland and her younger brother Thomas lives in Ingleton via Carnforth, Lancashire, England. Inspired by her mother's dream of going to America, Kathleen and her best friend, Agnes Morley, left for the United States in 1956. Kathleen stayed with her father's brother, Edward Connolly and his family in New Rochelle while working as a legal secretary for the company, Johns Manville. Only a few short months after her arrival, she met Hugh Joseph Flood, of Redhills, County Cavan, Ireland. They were at a cocktail party from which three weddings arose. When Kathleen asked him where he was from, he replied with his usual humor, "Ireland." She was not amused. Eventually his charm won her over and they became engaged on December 24th, 1957 when he slipped the ring on her finger during midnight mass. They were married on October 11, 1958 and their first child, Annemarie was born the following September. Peggy followed shortly thereafter in January of 1961 and Geralyn arrived much later, after two stillborns, in November 1967. Kathleen was always a hard-working woman with limitless energy. Her children often laugh about how they had to run to keep up with her. She was a lively person with many friends, whose home was always open to guests. Many a Thanksgiving or Easter dinner included family, friends and friends of friends, and many mornings, you had to step over the bodies that were sleeping on the floor. Her children and her grandchildren were the center of her life. Kathleen passed away on Wednesday, May 8th, 2013, surrounded by her daughters. She is survived by her children and their spouses, Annemarie Flood, Patrick Williams, Peggy Flood, Lance Wylie, Geralyn Flood and Kevin Buchholz and her grandchildren, Sabrina Flood-Wylie and Olivia Flood-Wylie.