Geary, Mary Kathleen

Age 66, died at her home in Jefferson, Ohio, on Tuesday, March 1, 2016.

Born in Ashtabula, Ohio, in 1949, she was the daughter of John T. Geary and Patricia (Carpenter) Geary. She attended Ascension School in Harvey, Illinois, St. Richard School in North Olmsted, Ohio, and graduated from high school at St. Augustine Academy in Lakewood, Ohio. She obtained her bachelor of arts degree, majoring in English Literature, from Bowling Green State University, completed course work for a master’s degree in English Literature at North Texas State University, and obtained a master’s degree in Library Science from Kent State University.

Known to her friends as “Kay,” she was a very dedicated social worker for 15 years. In the 1970’s, Kay worked in adult protective services, and children protective services, in Texas and was a social services case worker for the Catholic Service League in Ashtabula, Ohio. In the 1980’s, she worked for the State of Ohio as a Child Welfare Specialist in the Canton District and worked for Lake County, Ohio, as Intake Supervisor for child abuse cases.Kay was Director of the St. John’s Home in Painesville, Ohio, in 1989 and became Director of the Exchange Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse in 1990.

After obtaining her master’s degree in Library Science in 1994, Kay was a librarian at Lakeland Community College, Cleveland State University, and Lake Erie College. Beginning in 2000, she was a librarian in the Transportation Library of Northwestern University. In that position, she taught a class for law enforcement officers, from around the nation, on transportation issues, which she enjoyed greatly. Kay retired from Northwestern University in May 2015 and returned to the place of her birth, Ashtabula County, Ohio.

Kay is survived by her brother, Michael Geary, of Jefferson, OH; her sister-in-law, Gay Geary, of Chicago, IL; her sister-in-law, Barbara Geary, of Richmond, VA; and her nieces and nephews, Aileen Geary, Erin Geary, Eamon Geary, Gregory (Roxanne) Geary, Patrick M. (Elizabeth) Geary, James Geary, Catherine Evans, Barbara (Christopher) Cunningham, Daniel (Margot) Geary, Jean Thompson, and Sean Geary.

Kay was preceded in death by her father, John T. Geary, in 1987; her mother, Patricia Geary, in 2010; her brother, Patrick F. Geary, in 1998; her brother, J. Terrance Geary, on July 3, 2015; and her nephew, Russel J. Geary, in 2002.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, March 7, 2016, at Mother of Sorrows Church, Our Lady of Peace Parish, 1464 West 6th Street, Ashtabula, Ohio, with Fr. Raymond Thomas presiding. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Carpenter Road, Ashtabula. Calling hours will be from 6:00 to 8:00 PM on Sunday, March 6, 2016, at the ZABACK-DUCRO FUNERAL HOME, 500 West Prospect Road, Ashtabula.

Anyone wishing to make a contribution in Kay’s memory may do so to Our Lady of Peace Parish, 3312 Lake Avenue, Ashtabula, Ohio, 44004.

ZABACK-WILLIAMS-DUCRO FUNERAL HOME, 500 West Prospect Road, Ashtabula, Ohio is handling arrangements. www.ducro.com