Kathleen Ellen Mannino

Kathleen Ellen Mannino passed away on February 7, 2024, in Henderson, Nevada, from complications of a blood infection at the age of 70. Born on August 16, 1953, in the Bronx, New York, to Lucille and Joseph Sendner, Kathy graduated from the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan.

Kathy and her husband, Salvatore, married on November 3, 1973, and raised their children, Laura and Michael, in White Plains, New York. Kathy and Sal celebrated 50 years of marriage this past fall.

Kathy was the mom who ran the PTA, knew how to program the VCR, ensured no one's show was taped over, and always supported her children's interests and passions. She would easily medal in every category if "Beaming with Mother's Pride" was an Olympic sport. As the family historian, Kathy loved genealogy and the thrill of discovering new family connections and stories.

She refused to let breast cancer get in the way of her dreams and was determined to return to school. She earned a Bachelor’s degree and Master of Arts from The College of New Rochelle and a Master in Library and Information Sciences from Long Island University.

As a reference librarian and Associate Professor at The College of New Rochelle's Gill Library, Kathy inspired students and co-workers with her unwavering curiosity, relentless enthusiasm, and big laugh.

Kathy served as the Vice President and President of the Westchester Library Association and was a dedicated member of the American Library Association and the New York Library Association. She proudly co-authored the paper "A Case for Integration of Interlibrary Loan and Reference," published in the Journal of Interlibrary Loan.

Passionate about providing equal access to library services to disabled patrons, Kathy gave a presentation, "Technology Tools and Universal Design: A Librarian's Quest for Access for All," at the 2012 Westchester Library Association Annual Conference, which was well-received by colleagues.

After Kathy had an aortic valve transplant, she and Sal moved out west in late 2017 to be closer to their children, son-in-law, Alex, and grandson, Harrison.

Kathy loved the ocean, dancing, the Beatles, Hollywood trivia, the art of Vincent Van Gogh, writing heartfelt notes in birthday cards, saving gift bags, telling servers and retail employees that they were doing an excellent job, and sharing the story of when she saw the restaurant scene of The Godfather shot on location in the Bronx. All of that paled in comparison to her deep love for her grandson.

Donations can be made to the American Heart Association in Kathy's memory. The next time you see a hummingbird, say "hi." It might be Kathy, and she wants to tell you about the time she gave her beautiful Harry his first ice cream.