Kathleen Irene Deyoung

Kathleen Irene DeYoung, 95, passed away January 13, 2023.

Kathleen was born in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey on September 4, 1927 to Mary Laughlin, 24 years old, and Edward Gormley, who was 34 years old. Both parents lived in Pompton Lakes. Kathleen was the fifth child and was one of twelve siblings, four boys and eight girls.

She was baptized in Saint Mary’s Church and later married James DeYoung (James Logan Layden Anthony DeYoung) who she met at a roller skating rink in Patterson, New Jersey. The marriage ceremony was performed in the same church on June 11, 1949, when she was 21 years old and James was 24 years old. They lived in Paterson, New Jersey for fifteen years.

The family moved to a house in Phoenix, Arizona in 1964 where Kathleen and husband James raised five children; James, Tom, Kathleen, Donna and Karen. Kathleen and James ran food services and sanitation businesses.

Kathleen lost James to a heart condition on July 20, 1994. After the kids moved out, she sold the house and lived with relatives, including her sister, Betty Panicci. She later lived with her daughter, Kathleen Ann DeYoung Perry, son-in-law Jay Perry, and grandsons Kyle and Logan. Over a period of time spanning roughly twenty years, she moved with them from a house in Chandler, Arizona to one in Stanfield, Arizona, then to one in Maricopa, Arizona, and finally in 2011, she made her final move with them to Pocatello, Idaho.

Kathleen enjoyed socializing with people. She enjoyed her children and family, and loved spending time with them. She collected pictures of her grandchildren and spoke of them often. She loved to play slot machines, solve puzzles, and watch game shows.

Kathleen suffered from a broken hip that confined her mostly to a wheelchair. Later she had a stroke that took away many of her precious memories, and gradually worsening dementia finally took her from us.

She was a pleasant, caring, and hardworking person who loved her family. We will miss her.

Kathleen was survived by her sons, Tom DeYoung, James DeYoung, and daughter, Karen of Arizona; sister, Judy Greaves of Florida and sister-in-law, Carol Gormley of Florida. Kathleen has numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

No formal services are planned at this time.  

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