Kathleen V. Downes

Kathleen was born and raised in Jersey City, where she met and married her husband John in 1967.

Kathleen started her business career in New York City with the New York Telephone Company. Kathleen was the office clerical supervisor and eventually became secretary to the NYC District Manager.

Kathleen and her husband moved to Old Bridge, NJ, in 1970, where they raised 4 children. As the children grew older, Kathleen extended her business career and joined the Social Security Administration serving offices in East Brunswick, NJ and Brick, NJ. During her 20 year career with SSA, Kathleen received numerous high-level awards from both locations. Kathleen and John moved to the Renaissance in Manchester, NJ, in 2003. Kathleen retired from SSA in 2007.

They embarked on travels that took them to Hawaii, Alaska, New Orleans, Mexico and Canada. For the next 11 years, they cruised throughout the Caribbean Islands, sailing exclusively on Norwegian.

Kathleen enjoyed golf, water aerobics, gardening and bowling. She was also a communicant of St. John Church, Lakehurst, NJ.

Kathleen is survived by her husband of 57 years, John, her children; John, Jr. and his wife Ilana, Colleen Minio, Michael and his wife Megan and predeceased by a son Shannon, her grandchildren; Brendan Downes, Sarah Downes, Isabella Minio, Gabriella Minio, Mackenzie Downes, Madison Downes, Caleb Downes, Teagan Downes and her sister Joan Rovere and her husband Joseph. She was predeceased by her sister, Eileen Casler and her brother, Michael Canavan.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital.