A Loving and Gentle Soul
Catherine Rita “Katy” Ayrovainen (nee Gilhooley), a native of Brooklyn, NY and longtime resident of the Township of Washington, NJ, passed away peacefully at The Devon Senior Living Community in Devon, PA on Saturday, November 10, 2018 at age 90.
Katy attended St. Brendan’s High School for Girls in Brooklyn on a full scholarship and graduated in 1946; she was awarded a prize for her excellence in Latin studies there. A petite woman with curly hair, she was known as “Fuzzy” to her high school friends. She was interested in fashion and modeling and worked briefly as a secretary for the American-Hawaiian Steamship Company.
Katy is predeceased by her beloved husband Bill, whom she married on December 25, 1950 at the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Brooklyn. When he passed away on January 25, 2018, the couple had just celebrated 67 years of marriage on Christmas Day.
Katy is survived by five of her six children, Catherine Carnahan (husband Jim) of Parrish, FL; William M. of NYC; Martin M. (Kathleen) of Montclair, NJ; Elizabeth Ayrovainen of Centreville, VA; and Mary Selman of Chesterbrook, PA. Katy and Bill’s youngest son, Richard, of Watertown, MA passed away in 2002. Katy is also survived by seven grandchildren: James, Terrence, and Caitlin Carnahan; Kelly and David Lauder; Alexandra Ii; and Timothy Selman; and four great-grandchildren: Aidan, Liam, Sofia, and Patrick Carnahan.
Also surviving Katy are her older sister Mary Waldron of Washington state; her younger sister Agnes Hastings of San Tan Valley, Arizona; one niece and numerous nephews. She was predeceased by her brothers John, Joseph and Tommy; and her sister, Sr. Elizabeth Gilhooley.
Katy will be remembered as a humble, conscientious mother and devoted spouse who enjoyed spending quiet times at home with her family. Katy and Bill were faithful parishioners of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in the Township of Washington. Katy enjoyed solving TV murder mysteries and word puzzles on Wheel of Fortune. She loved music of many genres, particularly Irish music, Broadway musicals, and the old standards of Vic Damone, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. She was an excellent steward of her family’s finances. She dressed her children beautifully on a very tight budget! She enjoyed her carrot cake, Ice cream cones, blueberries, cozy cups of hot tea, and an occasional Manhattan.
Although not particularly fond of housekeeping and cooking, she dutifully did both while listening to talk radio, especially investment programs and pioneering dietitian Carlton Frederick’s advice on health and nutrition. She continually sought to choose a balanced and nutritionally sound diet for her children, faithfully preparing simple suppers of comfort food, served promptly at 6pm for her family of eight. She found time to volunteer at her children’s school library when they were young and later enjoyed swimming and water aerobics at the Y.
Katy Ayrovainen was an extraordinarily patient, loving, and soft-spoken woman who lived a simple and humble life. She never forgot to observe any important event in the lives of her children and grandchildren. And she never complained a single day of her life!
The funeral mass celebrating her life and faith will be on Friday, November 23, 2018 at 11am at the Chapel of the Devon Senior Living Community in Devon, PA where she last resided. (A one hour viewing will take place prior to the mass at 10am in the Chapel.) Interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Conshohocken, PA, where she will be laid to rest with her husband.
Donations may be made in the name of Catherine R. Ayrovainen to the Sisters of St. Joseph, Office of Mission Advancement, 1725 Brentwood Road, Building #4, Brentwood, NY 11717-5587.
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