Obituary for Catherine R. Byrne (Kirby)
Catherine “Kitty” (Kirby) Byrne, 93, of Marshfield, formerly of North Cambridge, passed away peacefully at home with her family on April 2, 2022. She was born October 21, 1928 and raised in Burlington, VT where she grew up with her eight siblings and parents, William and Isabelle Kirby (Lanctot). Married on April 26, 1947 to the late Francis J. Byrne, Jr., they settled in North Cambridge and were the proud parents to eight children to whom they devoted their lives.
“Kitty” as she was fondly nicknamed, lived most of her life in North Cambridge on Rindge Avenue in “the little house with the colored bottles in the window” reflecting her “spunk” for life. She received a Food Service Supervisor Certificate from Bunker Hill Community College while her kids were growing up. She worked as a cook at Saint John’s Rectory, North Cambridge Catholic High School, Cambridge Nursing Home, Ocean View Manor in Revere and Charles Gate Nursing Home in Watertown.
In retirement, she moved to Marshfield, where she took pleasure in being happily involved in the everyday lives and activities of her surviving seven children, 17 grandchildren, 12 (soon to be 13) great grandchildren and 4 great, great grandchildren. While enjoying every minute of being Mom, Nana, Big Nana and Great, Great Nana to her still growing family, Kitty enjoyed bingo, knitting, reading, and following the family and relatives on Facebook with her positive messages, in “ALL CAPITALS”. She especially loved tweaking recipes so they were “allergy free” for her grandchildren.
Special trips to Kimball’s Farm, fishing on Cape Cod Canal, and family BBQ’s were some of her favorite past times. She lovingly made each family member a scrapbook to mark how special they were to her.
Kitty spoke often and adored her sister-in-law, Elaine. She sincerely expressed gratitude for her being “her little sister” and for her and her family’s devotion over the years. They truly had a “special bond”. She had many relatives in Vermont including her predeceased sisters -Arlene, Alice, Marie and Bertha, and brothers, Robert and William. Surviving brothers are Donald and Paul Kirby. Nieces Dottie and Sandra were also very special to her.
She leaves her children, Mark Brine and wife Karen of Baldwin, MD, Christine Downey and husband Bill of Tiverton, RI, Cynthia Guerrero and husband Juan (Pat) of Beverly, MA, her deceased daughter Therese “Tessie” Byrne, Paul Byrne and wife Virginia of Derry, NH, James Byrne and wife Caroline of Broadview Heights, OH, Anne Byrne of Marshfield, MA, and Marie Skoczylas and husband Paul of Attleboro, MA. She will be lovingly remembered and sorely missed by her many grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
Relatives and friends are welcome to attend calling hours at Keefe Funeral Home in North Cambridge on Friday, May 6, 2022 from 4pm-8pm. A Mass will be held Saturday, May 7 at 11am, at St. John’s the Evangelist Church, 2254 Mass Ave, North Cambridge, MA followed by the burial at Cambridge Cemetery.
For directions, sign the online guest book, and to leave condolences please visit
www.keefefuneralhome.com
In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to one of the following in her honor:
Disabled Veterans of America www.davma.org/donate-now
ConfiKids at www.confikids.org
“Kitty” as she was fondly nicknamed, lived most of her life in North Cambridge on Rindge Avenue in “the little house with the colored bottles in the window” reflecting her “spunk” for life. She received a Food Service Supervisor Certificate from Bunker Hill Community College while her kids were growing up. She worked as a cook at Saint John’s Rectory, North Cambridge Catholic High School, Cambridge Nursing Home, Ocean View Manor in Revere and Charles Gate Nursing Home in Watertown.
In retirement, she moved to Marshfield, where she took pleasure in being happily involved in the everyday lives and activities of her surviving seven children, 17 grandchildren, 12 (soon to be 13) great grandchildren and 4 great, great grandchildren. While enjoying every minute of being Mom, Nana, Big Nana and Great, Great Nana to her still growing family, Kitty enjoyed bingo, knitting, reading, and following the family and relatives on Facebook with her positive messages, in “ALL CAPITALS”. She especially loved tweaking recipes so they were “allergy free” for her grandchildren.
Special trips to Kimball’s Farm, fishing on Cape Cod Canal, and family BBQ’s were some of her favorite past times. She lovingly made each family member a scrapbook to mark how special they were to her.
Kitty spoke often and adored her sister-in-law, Elaine. She sincerely expressed gratitude for her being “her little sister” and for her and her family’s devotion over the years. They truly had a “special bond”. She had many relatives in Vermont including her predeceased sisters -Arlene, Alice, Marie and Bertha, and brothers, Robert and William. Surviving brothers are Donald and Paul Kirby. Nieces Dottie and Sandra were also very special to her.
She leaves her children, Mark Brine and wife Karen of Baldwin, MD, Christine Downey and husband Bill of Tiverton, RI, Cynthia Guerrero and husband Juan (Pat) of Beverly, MA, her deceased daughter Therese “Tessie” Byrne, Paul Byrne and wife Virginia of Derry, NH, James Byrne and wife Caroline of Broadview Heights, OH, Anne Byrne of Marshfield, MA, and Marie Skoczylas and husband Paul of Attleboro, MA. She will be lovingly remembered and sorely missed by her many grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
Relatives and friends are welcome to attend calling hours at Keefe Funeral Home in North Cambridge on Friday, May 6, 2022 from 4pm-8pm. A Mass will be held Saturday, May 7 at 11am, at St. John’s the Evangelist Church, 2254 Mass Ave, North Cambridge, MA followed by the burial at Cambridge Cemetery.
For directions, sign the online guest book, and to leave condolences please visit
www.keefefuneralhome.com
In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to one of the following in her honor:
Disabled Veterans of America www.davma.org/donate-now
ConfiKids at www.confikids.org