Mary Kathleen (Rilla) Melendy

Dec. 26, 1933-Aug. 21, 2017

Mary Kathleen (Rilla) Melendy, a woman who loved to be on the go, died Aug. 21, 2017, in San Rafael. She was 83 and she had suffered from Alzheimer’s.

Kathy, as she was known to all, was a Mill Valley native who spent her life in Marin and the Bay Area. Born into a family of walkers, she was in her element on the trails of Mount Tamalpais and Mount Diablo or the sands of Stinson Beach and the Richardson Bay walking path between Sausalito and Mill Valley.

Caring for others was a great joy to Kathy, a gentle person with a wry sense of humor and style of her own, which included jaunty hats and colorful sweaters no matter the time of year.

In the early 1970s, she returned to college to receive a nursing credential. For the next 30 or so years she worked at hospitals such as St. Mary’s in San Francisco, John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek and numerous care facilities.

Kathy embarked upon her new work and life with gusto. She became an avid traveler who was never afraid to strike out on her own. One of her favorite early trips was a bicycle tour along the coast of New England. Her journeys took her overseas and across the United States, often on Elder Hostel jaunts.

Always curious, Kathy loved to read, complete her New York Times crossword and share ideas about books, magazines and other writings. She graduated from Marin Catholic High School in 1951 and Dominican College in 1955. She encouraged her four children to soak up the world and explore its wonders.

Kathy was born the day after Christmas 1933 to Louis and Frances Rilla in Mill Valley. She is predeceased by her daughters Virginia and Maureen; her parents; and her sisters Joan Strouss and Margaret Finocchio. She is survived by her sons Donald and Martin as well as siblings, Rosemary, John, Libby, Mike, Terry and Ellie and many cousins.

For those who remember Kathy’s kind smile and gentle manner, take a stroll along some path and think of her fondly.