Patricia McGorray Kenney

Patricia McGorray Kenney died peacefully in her home in Williamsburg, Virginia on October 10, 2019. She was 98 years old. Born in Cleveland, Ohio on March 17, 1921, Pat was the eldest child of James W. and Mildred (Hallaran) McGorray. She graduated from St. Augustine Academy and Ursuline College, class of 1942. A wartime bride, she married John T. Kenney in 1944, and they spent 68 loving years together until his death in 2012. Their three children are John, Joan and Susan. In 1964, Pat and her family moved from Lakewood, Ohio to Berkeley Heights, N.J. where she and John lived for 22 years before retiring to Williamsburg, Virginia, in 1986. Pat’s main interests were family, faith and civic involvement. With a passion for animals that she passed onto her children, Pat usually had a beloved dog or cat nestled close to her side. She took daily walks to observe nature’s splendor and she enjoyed watching birds and wildlife in her backyard. Pat was a dedicated homemaker and devoted parishioner at St. Bede Catholic Church, a food pantry volunteer, and an active participant in educational courses at William & Mary’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. A history buff and avid reader, Pat enjoyed Colonial Williamsburg programs, traveling to historical places and sightseeing in the United States and Europe. Simple pleasures included concerts, theater, and museums, participating in social groups and cheering underdog sports teams. She was known for her warm smile and vibrant spirit. Her beloved siblings, James W. McGorray, Jr., Martha McGorray Beaumont and John (Jack) McGorray have predeceased her, as well as her dear sisters-in-law Lucille Kenney and Betty Kenney. She is survived by her three loving children and granddaughter Meredyth Kenney and Meredyth’s husband, Jeffrey Zelin. She is also survived by her dear sisters-in-law Kay McGorray and Carol McGorray and many loving nieces and nephews. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at St. Bede Church in Williamsburg, Virginia on October 23, 2019 at 9AM. Interment will take place at Lakewood Park Cemetery in Rocky River, Ohio. The funeral service is being jointly arranged by McGorray-Hanna Funeral Home of Lakewood & Westlake OH and Nelsen Funeral Home of Williamsburg VA. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Ursuline College, 2550 Lander Road, Pepper Pike, OH 44124 or the Heritage Humane Society, 430 Waller Miller Road, Williamsburg, VA 23185.