Kathleen Muriel Heffernan Held

Palm Beach Gardens - Kathleen M. Held (nee Heffernan), 95 years of age, of Pittsford, New York and Palm Beach, Florida passed peacefully on August 15, 2023. She is pre-deceased by her husband of 71 years, Stanley.

Her living children include James (Kenn), Kathleen (David), Beth (Peter), Steven (Alison), Brian (Maureen) and Jeanne (Joe) and grandchildren Katelyn, Peter, Dan, Luke, Nick, Leo, Mae, Joseph and Mia. Her sister, Jean Hinzpeter of Long Island, passed away five days after Kathleen.

Kathleen (Kay) led a full and rich life with family at her core. She was born in Queens, NY on February 26, 1928 to James and Anna, and went to Mepham High School in Bellmore, NY. She was from an active family of five - three sisters (Florence, Eleanor, Jean), and brother (James).

Kay loved music and dancing often going into NYC to hear the sounds of big bands like Tommy Dorsey and Glen Miller. She worked at Jones Beach where her romance with Stanley began.

Kathleen and Stan married January 5th, 1949. They lived their first years together in Providence, RI where Stanley was attending Brown University and Kathleen gave birth to James, the first of her seven children.

Moving to Rochester, NY in 1954, Kathleen and Stanley continued raising a large and loving family. She loved babies and the large family atmosphere. She was an energetic, compassionate and dedicated Mom. She traveled to care for the next generation of babies, being the best Nana ever.

Throughout her life, Kathleen enjoyed a refined sense of style and fashion and was often the best dressed in the crowd. She enjoyed traveling with Stanley on his distant retailing excursions. For her 90th birthday she traveled to Paris with her daughters, outpacing them through the Louvre.

Kathleen and Stan were long term supporters of the Rochester Philharmonic. She also had a passion for the opera. Kathleen was an avid reader, loved her morning newspapers and a good bowl of clam chowder.

She was known as a “tough cookie” who stood staunchly behind her children and grandchildren. She recently spent her afternoons out to lunch or shopping with her dear friend Rosanna.

A family celebration of Kathleen’s life will be held at a later date.