Catherine E. Byrne

Catherine Eileen Byrne of Falmouth, formerly of Dorchester and Pembroke, passed away peacefully in Falmouth on January 26, 2014. She was born on May 28, 1922 on Baxter Street in South Boston. A year earlier, her future husband had also been born on that same street. Kay moved as a young child to Dorchester where she grew up in a large family of eight. Kay graduated from Dorchester High School for girls in 1939. She was sixteen when her brother brought home a new friend from the A+P Market, where they both worked. His name was Tom Byrne from South Boston. She would later return the favor by bringing home a friend from her job site, Hazel who would become her brother's wife. 1941 would be a difficult year, her mother would become a widow for the second time and World War II would alter the lives of all Americans. Tom Byrne joined the U. S Navy right after the war broke out and Kay worked in a factory to support the war effort because most men were in uniform. Tom was stationed in Newport, RI which allowed them to continue seeing each other, although on a limited basis. They would marry in 1944 and the first of five sons would be born in 1945. Tom was also ordered at this time to a US Naval destroyer in New Hampshire which was preparing for deployment to the South Pacific to support the war effort in that part of the world. Before the ship could sail, the war would end. In 1948 they bought a house on Columbia Rd in Dorchester and would raise their five boys there. Kay was a homemaker, however, she worked part time for some 25 years in the little girls department of Jordan Marsh in downtown Boston. They moved to Pembroke in 1970 where they would live until Tom's death in 1999. Kay was the beloved daughter of the late Alfred and Maryanne Foley. Predeceased by her husband Tom, son Robert, sisters Margaret Roach, Mary "Sis" Haskins, Dorothea Foley, Rita O'Toole, brothers Alfred and Robert. Survived by brother William Foley and his wife Ruth of Pembroke, and sister in law Eleanor Byrne of South Boston. Kay is also survived by sons Tom and his wife Aeny, Paul, Steve and wife Susan, and Dan and his wife Rose, all of Falmouth and Boston. She was the proud grandmother of Genevieve Henrique and her husband Chris of Falmouth, Robert and his wife Bianca of Milton, Kelli, Nell, and Brian Byrne of Falmouth, Ryan and Jesse Byrne of South Boston, and great grandchildren Samantha, Jake, and Isla. Kay also leaves behind many nieces and nephews. Visiting hours in the Sullivan Funeral Homes, 551 Washington St. Rte. 53, HANOVER, on Thursday from 4-8 PM. Funeral mass will be celebrated in St. Thecla Church, 145 Washington St. Rte. 53, Pembroke, on Friday at 10 AM. Interment in Pembroke Center Cemetery.