Kathy Flaherty Bonitatibus

Wife, Mother, Daughter, Sister, Sister-in-Law, Grandmother, Friend, and Traveler. Kathy was privileged to be all of these.

She was a native of Steubenville, Ohio, a steel mill town, that provided her a happy childhood and many memories. She grew up nurtured by her parents,

Hugh and Clara Flaherty, her brothers Kerry, Timothy and Dennis and sister Patty. Kathy was educated in mind and faith by St. Peter’s Parish School and Steubenville Catholic Central High School where she reigned as Homecoming Queen.

She met the love of her life, Paul Bonitatibus, when she was 15 and for every birthday since, he bought her the same gift, Shalimar Perfume. He loved that smell on her. They married in January 1971 and were blessed with a loving relationship and three wonderful children – Kris, Shannon and Meghan. They were thrilled to welcome daughter-in law, Jennifer, and son-in-law, Justin to the family in 1999. Paul and Kathy were rewarded in this life with five fabulous grandchildren – Zoe and Anna Bonitatibus, and Katelin, Aidan, and Brendan Obletz. Mimi and Papa loved spending time with them and watching them grow.

Paul and Kathy were frequent travelers – primarily to Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and South Bend. They always looked forward to summer vacations in the mountains, the beach, Disneyworld and other destinations with the entire family and trips to see the Fighting Irish.

Three of Kathy’s greatest achievements were raising her children and preparing them for college. To assist other families to afford a Notre Dame education, The Paul and Kathy Bonitatibus Family Scholarship Fund Honoring Nick and Helen Bonitatibus and Hugh and Clara Flaherty was endowed in 2010. The Scholarship benefit students attending Notre Dame who graduated from Steubenville Catholic Central, Dominican and Jesuit New Orleans, and Wilmington, Delaware’s St. Mark’s High Schools. In 2015, they established the Paul and Kathy Bonitatibus Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program and in 2016 endowed a Group Study Room in the Hesburgh Library at the University of Notre Dame.

Her legacy lives on.

Due to current circumstances, services will be private at this time. A services inviting all family and friends will be held at a later date.