Kathleen "Katie" (McCluskey) McElroy

Kathleen “Katie” (McCluskey) McElroy died May 13, 2024 at home, surrounded by family and friends. The last days of her life were a stream of love, of family and many friends, all wanting to spend as much time with her as possible. Her life was a love story. A native of Queens, she was the third of eight children. Her father, a former Olympian runner, was famously frugal, often shopping for bargains (dented cans of “mystery vegetables” were common for dinner); and her mother was a gentle, devout Catholic. Katie embodied the best qualities of her parents. She attended Catholic elementary and high schools in New York, and when it was time for college she was drawn to Le Moyne College, where she met the love of her life. As a sophomore, on the orientation team, she met Terence (Terry) McElroy during one of his first days at Le Moyne. Their friendship blossomed into a lifelong romance that never faltered. Terry and Katie established themselves as a young couple initially in Syracuse, then in Liverpool and most recently built their dream home in a new housing development in Clay. They affectionately named their new neighborhood “The Love Boat,” because of the friendly neighbors and vibrant social life. Katie made friends wherever she went, and she kept them throughout her life. She was devoted to her family. Katie and Terry raised two children, Dan, and Emily, with unwavering support and attention. Both are young professionals today, building their lives in the fashion they learned from their mom. Katie balanced motherhood with a career, always ensuring she was there for nearly every game and event in Dan and Emily’s lives from their early years through college years. She epitomized the working mother, raising her children with a loving, level head, managing to handle everything that came her way. She loved testing recipes from the newspaper and was known for not wasting a scrap of food. She was a great cook and loved to bake – her Christmas gingersnaps were a tradition that signified the start of the holiday season for friends and family. Emily and her husband, Anthony had their first child – Katie’s first grandchild – in January. Katie declared Madison Kate the most beautiful and smartest baby ever born. She knew all grandparents say that, but she also knew she was right this time. At just three months old, beautiful Madison told her grandma that she loved her. Yes, it was caught on video. In addition to being a loving wife, devoted mother, a caring sibling to her seven brothers and sisters, and a great friend to many people, Katie built a successful business career. Her first jobs were in banking, and she eventually made her way to the Human Resources profession. She held leadership positions at O’Brien & Gere before being recruited in 2001 by The Post-Standard as an HR executive. She retired in 2021 as Advance Central Services Human Resources Director, overseeing HR activities for three media companies: Advance Media NY, MassLive.com and PA Media Company. Unflappable, Katie was a go-to for many employees seeking her sound advice. Colleagues described her as the ultimate professional, caring, thoughtful, analytical, kind, and trustworthy. Though her retirement was brief, Katie and Terry made the most of it, traveling between Florida, Charlotte, New York, Duxbury and Misquamicut to visit friends and family. They kept a full social calendar with friends. She joined the YMCA and actually used her membership. She squeezed in a trip to Europe to visit her sister, in Paris. She also found time to do volunteer work for the Le Moyne College Board of Regents, Employment Inclusion, Inc., and with 100 Women Who Care CNY. Katie leaves behind a legacy of love and integrity to all whose lives she touched. We will deeply mourn her loss, though we know her spirit will live on in the hearts of those fortunate enough to have known her. Katie is predeceased by her parents Joseph Sr. and Anne McCluskey; her step mother-in-law Gail McElroy; and her sister-in-law Mia McCluskey. Katie is survived by husband Terry, son Dan, daughter Emily Baker, son-in-law Anthony Baker, granddaughter Madison Kate; her seven siblings, Joseph McCluskey Jr. (Keith Montagna), Mary Cotard (Eric Dumas), James, Robert and Richard (Berna) McCluskey, Susan (Keith) Jaeger and Martin (Kathleen) McCluskey; mother-in-law Sally McElroy and father-in-law Jerry McElroy; sisters-in-law Carrie McElroy (Susan Salisbury) and Colleen (Robert) Regelsberger; and several nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank the staff at Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center, Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY, Family Practice Associates, specifically Dr. Alexander Shoushtari, Dr. Stefania Morbidini, Dr. Brian Smith, and Dr. Beth Houck. A funeral Mass in celebration of Kathleen’s life will be held on Saturday, May 18, 2024, at 10:00 A.M. in Pope John XXIII Church, 8290 Soule Rd. Liverpool. She will be laid to rest in Our Lady of Peace Cemetery Mausoleum. Visitation will take place on Friday, May 17, 2024, from 4:00 – 7:00 P.M. at the THOMAS J. PIRRO JR. FUNERAL HOME 3401 Vickery Rd. (Corner of Buckley Rd.) N. Syracuse, NY 13212. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Le Moyne College at www.lemoyne.edu/give or to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center at http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/katiemcelroy

Kathleen "Katie" (McCluskey) McElroy

March 1, 1957 - May 13, 2024