Catherine "Kay" Barilli Morro

CATHERINE (KAY) MORRO, 91, OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA PASSED INTO ETERNAL LIFE ON JUNE 17, 2019 TO JOIN HER HUSBAND JOHN PAUL WHO PREDECEASED HER IN 2012.   CATHERINE WAS BORN IN NEWBURGH, NEW YORK ON JULY 12, 1927 AS THE OLDEST OF THREE CHILDREN OF THE LATE DOMINIC AND MARIA BARILLI.   IN HER CHILDHOOD YEARS CATHERINE HAD ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY OF ASSISTING WITH THE CARE OF HER YOUNGER SURVIVING BROTHER HENRY AND HER LATE BROTHER LOUIS. 

KAY MET HER LATE HUSBAND JOHN AT A WEEKEND GETAWAY WITH FRIENDS TO SIENA COLLEGE IN ALBANY, NEW YORK AND THEY MARRIED ON FEBRUARY 4, 1951 HAVING TWO CHILDREN CHRISTINE AND JOHN JR.   CATHERINE WAS A BELOVED GRANDMOTHER TO JEFFREY MORRO AND HIS WIFE KRIS, LAURA MORRO, JOSEPH MORRO AND HIS WIFE MARIA,  AND MICHAELA KELLY; GREAT GRANDMOTHER TO HARPER, JACKSON, FRANKIE AND LANDON. 

KATIE, AS SHE WAS KNOWN AT MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL IN WEST NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY AND ALONG WITH HER LIFELONG FRIEND JULIE, WERE VOTED THE BEST DANCERS IN THEIR CLASS.  AFTER HIGH SCHOOL SHE WORKED FOR THE BANK OF CHINA IN CHINATOWN, NEW YORK CITY. WHILE RAISING HER CHILDREN KAY LIVED IN NORTH BERGEN, NEW JERSEY AND LATER MOVED TO ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS.  KAY WORKED AT SCHOLASTIC MAGAZINE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS MEETING FRIENDS WHOM SHE LOVED TO TRAVEL WITH.  THE LAST 35 YEARS IN RETIREMENT WERE SPENT IN HER BELOVED “DEAR HAVEN” HOME ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA ENJOYING “9 HOLER” GOLF EVENTS AND THE WONDERFUL NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS AT THE PALMETTO DUNES CLUB.   A RECENT FAMILY REUNION IN HILTON HEAD ALLOWED HER FAMILY TO CELEBRATE HER LIFE IN A SETTING THAT HAS SO MANY HAPPY MEMORIES FOR HER AND HER FAMILY.  KAY WAS SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE RECEIVED THE KINDEST AND HEARTFELT CARE IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS BY JOSIE, LINDA AND MARGARET AND HER SON IN LAW MICHAEL KELLY. 

CATHERINE WAS DEVOTED TO HER FAMILY AND FOREVER GRATEFUL TO OUR “LITTLE NANA” WHOM MADE SO MANY SACRIFICES FOR HER WHILE SHE WAS GROWING UP IN THE DEPRESSION ERA SUCH A  BUYING HER DANCE SHOES.   HAVING EXPERIENCED A FULL AND FORTUNATE LIFE SHE ALWAYS REMEMBERED WHERE SHE CAME FROM AND LOVED BEING PART OF THE LARGE MORRO FAMILY ENJOYING TIMES WITH HER BROTHER AND SISTER IN LAWS AT MANY FAMILY GATHERINGS.  IT WAS A BLESSED FULL LIFE.

CATHERINE HAD AN IMMENSELY STRONG CATHOLIC FAITH AND WAS A STEADFAST ATTENDEE AT ADORATION  SERVICES AT HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH IN HILTON HEAD.  JOHN & KAY WERE  EARLY SUPPORTERS OF THE JOHN PAUL II CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL  THAT WAS BUILT IN  2013 ON THE MAINLAND OFF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.   CATHERINE LIVED A LIFE OF FAITH AND THAT LEGACY OF FAITH ALLOWS US ALL TO NOW CELEBRATE HER NEW LIFE IN PEACE WITH GOD IN HEAVEN. 

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS THE FAMILY IS REQUESTING MEMORIAL DONATIONS TO CATHERINE’S HOME PARISH, HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH 24 POPE AVENUE, HILTON HEAD, SOUTH CAROLINA 29928, www.holyfamilyhhi.org

Funeral services will be held on Monday June 24, 2019 at 8:45am from The Gundrum Service “Home For Funerals” 237 Bordentown Avenue, South Amboy, NJ 08879 followed by a 9:30am Mass of Christian Burial at St. Mary’s R.C. Church, South Amboy. Entombment will be in Madonna Mausoleum, Fort Lee, NJ. Visitation will be on Sunday from 1 to 3pm.

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