Joanne McGrath Katzenbach, 71, of Essex, CT, passed away on January 24, 2019 after a very brief battle with cancer. She is survived by her husband of 49 years, Jack Katzenbach. Her family was by her side.
Joanne was born in Port Chester, New York to the late Frank and Elinor McGrath. Joanne was a resident of both Port Chester and Peekskill, NY before settling in Connecticut in 1989. Joanne graduated from The Academy of Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in White Plains, NY and Westchester Community College in Valhalla, NY.
Mrs. Katzenbach followed her passion and was always employed in the medical field. She started in the lab at United Hospital in White Plains and worked at various NY and CT hospitals in medical records, oncology and therapeutic recreation. Most recently, she retired in 2017 from Shoreline Orthopedics in Essex.
Joanne was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother who truly cherished spending her time with her family. For the past 15 years, she looked forward to the annual October trip with her grandchildren in the Berkshires. She was light-hearted, with a loving, gentle nature she shared with everyone she met. Joanne was a great listener. She loved animals and nature. She enjoyed cooking, reading recipe books, making jewelry and listening to John Denver. She loved riding to the beaches in Connecticut and Rhode Island and taking photographs with Jack. She was known as “Jovial Jo” to her husband, “Mom” to her kids and “Mimi” to her grandchildren and many friends. She will be most remembered for her ability to give genuine love and support to anyone in need.
In addition to her husband Jack, she will be dearly missed by her daughter, Mary Pat (Katzenbach) Murray, with her husband, Tommy Murray, her daughter, Betsy (Katzenbach) Martinez and her son, Jack Katzenbach, her 5 grandchildren, Kellen Murray, Michael Murray, Nicholas Martinez, Matthew Martinez and Paddy Murray as well as her aunt, Joan McGrath Greve, her cousins, Laurine Kelly Dow, Randy Kelly, Jason Kelly and her dear friends and neighbors, Florence Dutka, Susan Mudry and Brendan Flaherty. Joanne was also predeceased by her brother, Frank McGrath Jr. of California.
A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary’s Church, 54 Grove Street Clinton, CT on Saturday February 16, 2019 at 10 am. A reception will follow in the Visitation Hall. Burial to be attended by the family on a later date. If you would like to make a donation in her memory the family has suggested The American Cancer Society.
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