Elizabeth "Betty" Kelleher

Elizabeth “Betty” Kelleher; age 96, long time resident of Massapequa Park and recently of Bohemia, passed away on January 16, 2023. 

Born October 28, 1926, in Laflin Pennsylvania, she was the daughter of the late Michael Kubic and Elizabeth Kuback.  She was educated in Jenkins Twp. Public schools.

Betty worked for American Airlines, where she met her husband James. After they married, she continued to work as a secretary for the superintendent of Massapequa Schools, Dr. Beall, a job she held for over twenty years.  At a time when many women did not drive or work outside of the home, Betty did both—often loading up the station wagon with the kids and heading off on a trip upstate or to Pennsylvania, earning Dad’s nickname for her: “Fireball Betty.”

Betty was a charter member of Our Lady of Lourdes RC Church in Massapequa Park during the years when the congregation met for mass at Carman Road School.  Betty was an active member of her community: She was a member of the Homemakers and so enjoyed making charity baskets for the annual raffles.  She loved to dance and was especially happy dancing the polka; she and her neighbors on Charles Avenue held rotating dancing parties in their basements.  Betty was a natural athlete who played softball and was a talented bowler with many bowling trophies to her name. She was also an avid baseball fan, following both the Yankees and Mets.   Betty Kelleher was also known by her friends for a world-class “Bette Davis” imitation at parties.  

Betty is survived by her children James III & his wife Barbara of South New Berlin, NY; Peter of Bohemia, NY; Elizabeth Kelleher & her husband Steve Smith of Caldwell, ID; her grandchildren Kara, Sheri, James IV, Kelly, Patrick, Peter, Elynn, Tenaly, and eight great grandchildren; as well as her sister Rosalie Serafin of Wilkes Barre, PA. and brother-in-law Matthew Dennis Kelleher & his wife Jean Kelleher of Carmel, CA.  She was predeceased by her husband James, her daughter in-law Elizabeth, and her granddaughter Meghan; brothers Joseph, John, Andrew, and Peter Kubic; and sisters Anna Kubic, Mary Seprish, and Margaret ‘Margie’ Giovagnoli.

Visitation Thursday, January 19th from 2 – 4:30 & 7 – 9:30 pm at Raynor & D’Andrea Funeral Home in West Sayville. Funeral Mass will be held Friday, January 20th at 10:00 am at St. John Nepomucene RC Church in Bohemia. Interment to follow at Calverton National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given in Betty’s memory to Multiple Sclerosis Society, Long Island Chapter, 733 3rd Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10017.