Margaret Kiely

She lived 92 years grounded in faith, shaped by love, and

sustained by deep and lasting relationships.

She started her life in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the second of three children born to

Matthew and Katherine. From the very beginning, family and faith were central to her

life. She was a lifetime parishioner of Corpus Christi Church and a committed Catholic

whose devotion—especially to the Blessed Mother—was not just something she

believed, but something she lived. Mary was a constant companion for her, a source of

comfort, strength, and trust throughout her life. I have no doubt that most of us here

have been the recipient of more than one Hail Mary from her.

Her family eventually moved to New York and after a short time in Westbury, moved to

Mineola. One of the great gifts of her early years was her education at Our Lady of

Mercy Academy in Syosset. She spoke of that school often, always with gratitude,

calling it life-changing and a true blessing. It shaped her faith, her values, and her

confidence, and it introduced her to friendships that mattered deeply to her. Out of that

gratitude came loyalty—she supported Our Lady of Mercy for the rest of her life,

believing strongly in giving back to the places that helped form who we become.

She carried that love of learning forward to SUNY Plattsburgh - yes, before the

Northway was built - earning her degree in education. There again, she found her

people. She made lifelong friends, connections that endured for the rest of her life.

After graduating, she returned to Mineola where she began teaching at Dutch Lane

Elementary School in Hicksville. She would later go on to spend her entire career of

over 35 years there teaching kindergarten. She was so well regarded by her coworkers,

she would often be asked to speak at their retirement parties and she was so good at it,

showing her quick wit and ability to weave it into a thoughtful tribute. She would regale

us with the best stories of not only what happened everyday with a bunch of 5 year olds,

but with her coworkers as well. She loved her job.

It was during this time that she and some fun loving friends decided to take lessons for

something she had always wanted to perfect, tap dancing. She used to improvise in our

kitchen, but then as the lessons progressed, would periodically demonstrate what she

learned with great enthusiasm. We thought it was really funny until she told us that she

and her friends, along with about 100 other exuberant souls, were invited to perform at

the Thanksgiving Day Parade on 34th St. in front of Macy's. What a thrill! She

forevermore referred to these women as the Tap Dancers.

We can’t forget how much she enjoyed traveling. Whether it was a trip of her own or the

joy of hearing about any one of our adventures, she wanted to share in all the details,

especially any fantastic food experiences. Some of us here were lucky enough to travel

with her and she was definitely an influence on us catching the travel bug ourselves.

She lived in California while completing part of her master’s degree, and made many

trips up and down the east coast. Myrtle Beach was a favorite by far. She visited

multiple countries in Europe and her trips to St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands during her

February breaks were some of her fondest memories.

She adored her family. She was always interested in what she could do to help her

sister and brother. Most days during her teaching years, she would stop at our house on

her way home from work to check in and see how we were all doing. This also made

her popular with all our friends in the neighborhood. They would say how they wished

she were their teacher. We spent so many summer days with her at Carman Avenue

pool and Jones Beach - Field 6 if we were lucky. It was Auntie who taught us how to

“jump the waves.” We would gather for family celebrations and holidays and share so

many good times together, possibly even enjoying some Katherine Hepburn Brownies

or Lemon Bread. Above all, we have laughed a lot over all these years. Auntie’s sense

of humor was legendary. She has shown so much love, concern and support for all of

us and now all of our children. I am so glad they will all have some truly fun and loving

memories of her.

In addition to the influences from our parents, she helped educate us on some of the

finer things in life. Certainly about culture, travel and good food. But also about how to

set a table, how to write a thank you note, how to look at a garment and see if it was

constructed well. If you were lucky enough to own Waterford, use the Waterford! She

had great taste, and was known for her style. We learned how to be a gracious host.

Bring out your best china, shine the silver! But, above all, make sure your guests are

comfortable. Tell jokes, tell stories. Laugh!

We would be remiss if we did not share with you some of the many sayings she was

famous for; For the super cooks she’d say “She can make gravy from a hot dog!”, if we

complained about something mundane, out came “it’s all better than a bad marriage”, a

person with a lot to do was “Busier than a one armed paper hanger” and for the

overjoyed ones, they were “Happy as a clam at high tide” or, “Happy as Larry.” We

never knew who Larry was.

Margaret is survived by five nieces and nephews, fifteen great-nieces and

great-nephews, and one great-great-nephew—all of whom were blessed to know her

love, her faith, and her steady, guiding presence. She took real interest in their lives,

celebrated their milestones, and held them in prayer.

What we remember most today is not just what she did, but how she lived—with

devotion, gratitude, and grace. Her life reminds us of the quiet power of faithfulness: to

God, to family, to friends, and to the values that shape a life well lived.

May she now rest in the peace she trusted in all her life, reunited with those she loved,

and held at last in the embrace of the Blessed Mother she so faithfully honored.