Catherine McNally

Catherine F. (Kay) McNally passed away peacefully on June 5th at St. Clare's after a short illness at the age of 90. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. William McNally.

Born in Newport in 1933 to Daniel and Mary (Teahan) Shea, Kay grew up on Park Street in Newport with her three siblings. She attended St. Catherine's Academy before working as a telephone operator prior to starting a family.

She married Bill McNally in 1954 and together they raised their four children in their home on Cliff Avenue. A loving, patient and nurturing mother, Kay was completely devoted to her sons. She had a lifelong love for the beach, taking her boys to Third Beach on a nearly daily basis during the summer. Music was also a constant in her life; she was an accomplished piano player and a great lover of Irish music.

After raising her children, Kay returned to school, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree from Roger Williams College in 1985. She was employed by the Newport School System, initially in the Early Childhood Development Program and then later teaching students preparing for their GED at the Aquidneck Island Adult Learning Center. She was an inspiration to her GED students, guiding and encouraging them to reach for their goals. She left an indelible mark on many of them, creating new friendships along the way.

After their retirement, Kay and Bill were seasonal residents of The Villages, Florida. Very proud of her Irish heritage, she greatly enjoyed her trips to a family cottage in County Cork.

She is survived by her siblings, Maureen Greichen of Newport, Daniel Shea of Middletown and Helen McGowan Gardner of Mattapoisett, MA and her four sons Michael (Michele) of Barrington, Terence (Leika) of Scottsdale, AZ, John (Diane) of Newport and James of Tustin, CA. She is also survived by six grandchildren, Kirsten, Caroline, Sean, Rachel, Brian and Andy McNally.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church on Spring Street in Newport on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at 11:00am. Burial will follow at St. Columba Catholic Cemetery, Browns Lane, Middletown. Visiting hours are respectfully omitted.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Hope Hospice, (hopehealthco.org) or St. Clare-Newport (stclarenewport.org) in her memory will be appreciated.