Catherine “Kay” Poulos, of Warwick, passed away on September 12, 2013 at the age of 93. Catherine was born on November 1, 1919 in Bronx, NY and was the daughter of Bridget and Denis Murphy, the youngest in the family. She was predeceased by her three brothers: John, Denis and William Murphy. Catherine grew up in NYC and in 1946 was married to Robert “Bob” Henry Poulos. In addition to working at the Sperry’s plant during WWII, she was a Hat Girl at a NYC hotel when she met her husband-to-be, just returning home from war.
She and Bob settled and raised their family in Whitestone, NY, where they remained until 1985 when they relocated to upstate NY in the village of Florida. In July 2013, they celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary!
Catherine’s devotion in life was to her family and to Catholicism. She was a homemaker, hospital volunteer, and held positions in several book publishing companies in Manhattan in their ordering departments. Catherine never forgot about being a first generation child of parents from Ireland. She loved all things Irish and was able to travel to the Emerald Isle later in life. She was a long-time member of St. Luke’s Church in Whitestone, NY and St. Stephen’s Church in Warwick, NY.
In her later years as her children began families of their own, her greatest joy was being with her grandchildren. Then came great-grandchildren, whom she enjoyed just as much.
Catherine is survived by her husband, Bob Poulos; daughters: Kathy McMahon, and son-in-law Jim of Warwick, NY, Virginia Riga and son-in-law, Lou, of Columbia, SC; and son, Robert Poulos and Kathleen Gallagher of Scarsdale, NY; six grandchildren: Patrick McMahon (Amy) of Arlington, VA, Peter McMahon (Karen) of Coppell, TX, Monica (McMahon) Cancellieri (John) of Highland Mills, NY, Liz (McMahon) Allen (Gabe) of NYC, Chris Studstill of Columbia, SC and Jessica (Studstill) Gallagher (Anthony) of Boston, MA. In addition, she will be remembered fondly by her seven great-grandchildren: John and Nora McMahon, Katherine and Andrew MaMahon, Anna and Mia Cancellieri and Connor Allen. Other surviving family members include three sisters-in-law, one brother-in-law and six nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be on Sunday, September 15th, from 2:00-6:00 pm at Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Ave., Warwick, NY. Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 am on Monday at St. Stephens Church, Warwick, followed by interment in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, NY.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to St. Stephen’s Church, 75 Sanfordville Rd., Warwick, NY 10990