Catherine L O'Mara

Catherine (Kay) O’Mara was born in downtown Brooklyn, of Margaret Malley and Gerard Maloney. She was raised in Brooklyn with her younger siblings Gerard and Helen, whom she cared for much of her childhood. Kay moved with her former husband, Dennis to Staten Island in 1968, settling in Bay Terrace. She moved to Great Kills in 1973, where she lived for the remainder of her life. Kay was a devout Catholic and lifelong parishioner of St. Clare’s Parish, never missing mass.

Kay worked as a registrar/administrator at the former Richmond Memorial Hospital for 26 years. She worked in several departments: the Emergency Room, the Business Office, Rehabilitation Medicine and finally, the Chemical Dependency Rehabilitation Department, where she remained until her retirement in 2002. She was recognized as an exceptional worker, receiving Employee of the Month several times for her dedication. Throughout this time, Kay, a single mother of four children, worked other jobs to support her family. The job that was closest to her heart was at Eden II School for Autism, where she worked as an assistant.

Kay’s greatest job, however, was being a fiercely devoted mother to her four children, Dennis O’Mara, Thomas O’Mara, Dawn Meade, and Jacqueline Cannizzaro-Harkins. She was the adored grandmother to Dennis, Matthew, Mallory, Christopher, Sean, Brian, Elizabeth, Haley, Luke and Kyle. Nothing gave her greater joy than spending time with her family, especially cooking and dancing with them during the holidays. Kay was ever-present for her grandchildren’s sporting events, school events, family trips to the beach or simple shopping trips: she simply could not have imagined being anywhere else. Kay also enjoyed spending time with her friends, going to dinner and Broadway shows.

Kay will be remembered by everyone who loved her as being strong, loyal, selfless and dedicated to her family. She put everyone else’s needs above her own. She was surrounded by her family always and passed peacefully at home.