Remembering Katherine "Kay" Meaney, 97

Katherine M. Meaney of Copake, New York, died peacefully on Tuesday, Oct. 8, at the age of 97. She was born on Dec. 25, 1921 in Breddorf, Germany, the daughter of William and Adeline (Meyer) Mahnken.

Katherine, known to her friends and family as Kay, came to America at the age of 2. She graduated as class salutatorian from Fairleigh Dickinson High School in Jersey City, and won the school’s top prize in English. She later became a licensed insurance broker and worked for the mortgage bank firm Sackman Gilliland Corp. in Brooklyn and Garden City.

On Sept. 17, 1949, Kay married James Patrick Meaney. They bought a home together in Brooklyn and later moved to Hicksville. There she was an active member of Redeemer Lutheran Church. She sang in the church choir and served on the church council.

Kay is survived by her daughter Patricia Fisher and her husband Andrew; her grandchild David James Fisher and his wife Susan; her grandchild Leigh Fisher-Troche and her husband Steven; and her four great-grandchildren Steven Gregory, Lily Katherine, Jordan Rebecca, and Justin Knight. She is predeceased by her husband James Patrick Meaney, as well as her siblings William and Marie Mahnken.

A visitation will be held on Monday, Oct. 14 from 3-7 p.m. with a funeral service at 6 p.m. at the Joseph J. Smith Funeral Home in Mahopac, New York. There will be an interment at Long Island National Cemetery the following day.