MEDINA — After a long and most courageous battle with cancer, Kathleen "Kathy" McGrane passed away on Saturday, January 19, 2013, at her home, surrounded by family and friends. Kathy was born in West Seneca, NY in 1943, the daughter of John and Vera Ray. Upon graduation from Mount Mercy Academy she entered the Franciscan Community in Allegany, NY. As a Franciscan sister, she started her teaching career in Catholic schools in Triangle, VA and later in Ashville, NC and Lakeland, FL. In 1974 she resigned from the Franciscan Order, but continued to teach in a Catholic school in Orchard Park, NY.

In 1975 she married her husband, Tom, and furthered her teaching career in Bethesda, MD, until the birth of her first child. When Tom's job took him to St. Francis Community Center in Long Beach Island, NJ, she continued educating children in the Center's Day Care Program. Kathy and her family moved to Medina, NY in 1987. The move to Medina created new opportunities for Kathy to pursue her love of teaching and nurturing of children while in a temporary position at Towne Elementary School. Her greatest feelings of           accomplishment, however, came from providing home day care to a great number of children in the community. Parents who knew Kathy believed that she helped give these children the foundation to become the outstanding young men and women they are today.

Kathy was a practicing member of Holy Trinity (St. Mary's) parish and an active member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas. She will also be remembered for her many years of exemplary creative instruction in the kindergarten religious education class.

She is survived by her husband, Tom; her son, Sean McGrane of Baltimore, MD; daughters, Colleen (Tim) Ingersoll of Medina and Megan McGrane of Ithaca, NY. She was blessed to have two delightful grandchildren, Molly Ann and Madelyn Rose Ingersoll.  Kathy is also survived by her brothers, John (Jo Helen) Ray of Rochester, NY and Tim (Sue) Ray of East Aurora, NY. Kathy will be missed by her many friends in the Franciscan community with whom she had maintained loving and lasting relationships. Her relatives in New York and Ireland and her many friends in New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Florida will         remember her with affection and love.     

Friends may call Monday at the Cooper Funeral Home, 215 West Center St., Medina, from 2-4 and 7-9 PM. The Rosary will be prayed on Monday at 3:30 at the funeral home. Our longtime friend and mentor, Fr. Patrick Sheedy of Blessed Trinity parish, Ocala, FL, will celebrate her Mass of Christian Burial Tuesday at 11 AM, at Holy Trinity Catholic Parish, St. Mary's Church, Medina. Burial will be at St. Mary's Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Knights Kaderli Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 684, Medina, NY 14103; or to Hospice of Orleans, P.O. Box 489, Albion, NY 14411.  

Visit www.cooperfuneralhomemedina.com to share condolences.