Obituary for Catherine Elizabeth Cahill "Kay" Leonard
Catherine Elizabeth Cahill Leonard “Kay”, 83, formerly of Wells and Waterville, ME passed away peacefully on October 15, 2022.
Kay was predeceased by her beloved husband of 57 years, Tom and her sisters Patricia and Mary, and their husbands Bill Cantwell and George Brady, who she adored. She was a loving mother to: Tom Leonard and his partner, Howard Castonguay of Portland, ME; Mark Leonard and his wife, Kim of Cortland, NY; Michael Leonard and his wife, Kelly of Palmer, Alaska; and Marybeth Shay and her husband, Patrick of Newburyport, MA; dear grandmother of Kady, Dan, Taylor, Molly, Ronan, Ava, Conall, and Eamon Leonard and Michael, Rob and Annie Shay; and great-grandmother of Ean, Owen, Fin and Remy; sister of Sally MacBride and her husband, Gus of Auburndale, MA. Kay was fortunate to have wonderful in-laws as friends like Karen, Bob, Roz and George Leonard. She was Auntie Kay to many nieces and nephews and Aunt Katie to others – all of whom she cherished.
Kay was born in Silver Spring, MD to the late Mary (Coonley) and Edmund S. Cahill and grew up in Auburndale, MA. She graduated from Our Lady’s High School and the Boston School of Dental Nursing. She retired from the Waterville School Department where she was an AP/AR Specialist for many years working with a wonderful group of people who she enjoyed so much. Kay was very active in her kids’ school activities, social clubs and her church. Kay and Tom lived a number of places but spent the majority of their lives in the Waterville/Winslow ME area until they retired to Wells, ME and Jekyll Island, GA. They enjoyed great friendships, golf, the beach, travel, and spending time with their grandchildren. Kay was constantly active in her younger years – playing tennis, cross-country skiing and golfing until her physical limitations set in at which point she moved right on to swimming, chair yoga, Mahjong, and her favorite low-rider bicycling on the trails of Jekyll Island. Kay will be remembered most for her warm heart, her sparkling blue eyes, fun-loving nature and her kind and thoughtful friendship. We will miss our Saint Catherine.
Kay’s family would like to extend their gratitude to the staff of Benchmark at Rye and Beacon Hospice for their cheerful and compassionate care of Kay (and of them) in her last few months, as well as the staff at Atria in Newburyport for all of their efforts.
Should friends choose, memorial donations in Kay’s name are encouraged to one of Kay and Tom’s favorite charities: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, October 21, 2022 at 11:00 am at Holy Spirit Parish/St. Mary’s church, 236 Eldridge Road, Wells with a reception to follow. Interment alongside Tom at the Southern Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery will take place at a later date.
Kay was predeceased by her beloved husband of 57 years, Tom and her sisters Patricia and Mary, and their husbands Bill Cantwell and George Brady, who she adored. She was a loving mother to: Tom Leonard and his partner, Howard Castonguay of Portland, ME; Mark Leonard and his wife, Kim of Cortland, NY; Michael Leonard and his wife, Kelly of Palmer, Alaska; and Marybeth Shay and her husband, Patrick of Newburyport, MA; dear grandmother of Kady, Dan, Taylor, Molly, Ronan, Ava, Conall, and Eamon Leonard and Michael, Rob and Annie Shay; and great-grandmother of Ean, Owen, Fin and Remy; sister of Sally MacBride and her husband, Gus of Auburndale, MA. Kay was fortunate to have wonderful in-laws as friends like Karen, Bob, Roz and George Leonard. She was Auntie Kay to many nieces and nephews and Aunt Katie to others – all of whom she cherished.
Kay was born in Silver Spring, MD to the late Mary (Coonley) and Edmund S. Cahill and grew up in Auburndale, MA. She graduated from Our Lady’s High School and the Boston School of Dental Nursing. She retired from the Waterville School Department where she was an AP/AR Specialist for many years working with a wonderful group of people who she enjoyed so much. Kay was very active in her kids’ school activities, social clubs and her church. Kay and Tom lived a number of places but spent the majority of their lives in the Waterville/Winslow ME area until they retired to Wells, ME and Jekyll Island, GA. They enjoyed great friendships, golf, the beach, travel, and spending time with their grandchildren. Kay was constantly active in her younger years – playing tennis, cross-country skiing and golfing until her physical limitations set in at which point she moved right on to swimming, chair yoga, Mahjong, and her favorite low-rider bicycling on the trails of Jekyll Island. Kay will be remembered most for her warm heart, her sparkling blue eyes, fun-loving nature and her kind and thoughtful friendship. We will miss our Saint Catherine.
Kay’s family would like to extend their gratitude to the staff of Benchmark at Rye and Beacon Hospice for their cheerful and compassionate care of Kay (and of them) in her last few months, as well as the staff at Atria in Newburyport for all of their efforts.
Should friends choose, memorial donations in Kay’s name are encouraged to one of Kay and Tom’s favorite charities: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, October 21, 2022 at 11:00 am at Holy Spirit Parish/St. Mary’s church, 236 Eldridge Road, Wells with a reception to follow. Interment alongside Tom at the Southern Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery will take place at a later date.