Obituaries

Beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Kathleen (Kitty) Barone passed away at the age of 93 on February 20, 2020.

She was born to Thomas and Katherine Dailey on May 8, 1926, in Pennsylvania. She was their cherished only child. At a young age, Kitty moved to the Detroit area, where she was involved in many activities. Her favorite of these hobbies included tap dancing and theater, and she spoke with pride to her family about her lead role in her senior play. Kitty was also an avid reader throughout her life. Eventually, she met and fell in love with her future husband, Jim, while they worked together at Sears. The two wed in 1950 and were married for 58 wonderful years.

Even in advanced age, Kitty was fiercely independent and lived life to its fullest. She taught herself how to text in her 80s. She kept up-to-date on all of the latest celebrity gossip, whether it was through her weekly reading of the National Enquirer or continued viewing of her favorite shows: "The Young and The Restless", "Judge Judy" and "American Idol". She maintained an impeccable sense of fashion and was loved by employees at her favorite clothing store, Chico’s. She was a hair and makeup expert, often helping her children and grandchildren pick their outfits or invest in the best beauty products.

Above all, Kitty treasured her family. Her house was the site of Sunday dinners for decades, as well as the gathering spot for holidays and other celebrations. Birthdays were Kitty’s favorite, and she was often the first person to text or call each of her family members on their birthdays. Kitty loved to cook, and each gathering was filled with her incredible homemade pasta and pies. She was notorious for sneaking her grandchildren the largest pieces of pie and extra hot fudge on their ice cream sundaes. While the Barone family is big and the gatherings were loud, Kitty was always the center of them all. She embodied the true spirit of family and love.

Kitty was the devoted wife of the late James Vincent Barone and the beloved mother of Jim (Wendy), Kathy (Mike), Mark (Diane), Linda (Jeff), Marybeth (Rafael), and Patrick (Elizabeth). Additionally, Kitty was deeply cherished by her 14 grandchildren (Jennifer, David, Melissa, Jessica, Holly, Amanda, Nick, Tom, Emily, Ruthie, Ashley, Madeline, Joey, and Olivia) and 8 great-grandchildren (Fiona, Brandon, Charlie, Max, Alexa, Ethan, AJ, and Arlo). She often stated that her family was her whole life, and she will live on in each of our hearts forever.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, February 23, from 2-5 pm at A. J. Desmond & Sons (Vasu, Rodgers & Connell Chapel), 32515 Woodward Ave (between 13 and 14 Mile Rds), Royal Oak. A scripture service will commence at 4 pm.

The funeral mass will take place on Monday, February 24, at 10:30 am at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Catholic Church, 32340 Pierce Street, Beverly Hills, MI. Visitation at the church begins at 10 am.

Memorial tributes may be made to:
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN, 38105