Kathleen Dehler

Kathleen Nora Dehler, 80 Kathleen Nora Dehler was picked up by her huckleberry friend on November 22, 2024. Kathleen was born to the late Marian and Joseph Dickson on August 19, 1944. She was a proud alumni of St. Francis Xavier Academy and cheerleader for St. John’s University and hailed being a Brooklyn gal. Kathleen met her huckleberry, William, as a teenager in Breezy Point, NY. They soon married and went on to grow her dream of a large family with seven children and fifteen grandchildren. Kathleen and William embraced life together in Brooklyn, NY, Lynbrook, NY, and Westport, CT, only to return full circle to where they fell in love when they retired in Breezy Point. Kathleen loved creating a warm home, always ready to welcome family and friends for the spontaneous pop-in or a grand party. Kathleen’s parties abounded with good food, great drinks, lots of laughter, definitely singing and tap dancing, and usually ended with a hat party and a rendition of “When Irish Eyes are Smiling” and “Second Hand Rose.” The true artist she was, Kathleen could turn anything into a masterpiece. She loved working with pens, paint, crafts, furniture, wallpaper, anything she could get her hands on. She loved decorating her home, especially when her husband would go on business trips, which is when she would wallpaper an entire room and put it back together in 36 hours. Holiday decorations for every single holiday greeted visitors at the kitchen door. She lovingly hung her grown children’s kindergarten artwork throughout and decorated every nook and cranny with beautifully festive decorations and illuminated Orchard Hill at Christmastime with candles in every window. Kathleen is predeceased by her husband of 59 years, William, and is survived by seven grateful children: Nora Stuart (Matt) of Lexington, SC; William Dehler, Jr. (Ingrid) of Fairfield, CT; John Dehler of Fairfield, CT; Andrew Dehler (Tracey) of Westport, CT; Kate Stewart (Mark) of Simsbury, CT; Elizabeth Morrall (Mitch) of Davie, FL; and Matthew Dehler of Santa Barbara, CA. Kathleen is blessed with fifteen adoring grandchildren: Matthew, Claire, Sarah Kate, Riley, Charlie, Harry, Beau, Jack, Elizabeth, Grace, Mary Kate, Ella, William, Regan, and Annabell. We offer our profound gratitude to the most compassionate and skilled staff at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx. In Lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Calvary Hospital through www.calvaryhospital.org so that they may continue the incredible mission of palliative care. Contributions will go toward a plaque on the Tree of Life in Kathleen’s name, where there happens to be an empty space next to her husband’s leaf! Friends and family are invited to the Celebration of Life on December 20, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at Saint Thomas More Church, 204-25 Rockaway Point Boulevard, Breezy Point, NY. Reception to follow across the street at The Breezy Point Catholic Club. Welcomed attire: Christmas plaids, of course!

Kathleen Dehler

August 19, 1944 - November 22, 2024