Beatrice T. Kiley

BEATRICE THERESA (HARVEY) KILEY (93) beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, passed away unexpectedly and peacefully in her sleep at Brookdale West Senior Community, Boynton Beach, FL on April 15, 2019.

Beatrice was the 8th of 10 children born to Delia (Brissette) and John Harvey in River Rouge, MI on October 3, 1925.  She attended Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School, River Rouge, MI and Airport High School, Carleton, MI.

Beatrice met the love of her life, Murtha James Kiley, at a St. Patrick’s Catholic Youth Organization event during WWII. Murtha was stationed in the Pacific Theater of the war and Beatrice worked as a “Rosie the Riveter” at the Willow Run Michigan Bomber Plant during the war.  They were married on June 7, 1947 at St. Patrick’s Church, Carleton, MI and were devoted companions for 66 years until Murtha’s death January 9, 2014.  Beatrice and Murtha resided in Carleton and Monroe, MI before moving in 1978 to Deerfield Beach and then to Boynton Beach, FL.

Murtha contracted polio in 1952 during the great Polio Epidemic and became a lower body paraplegic.  Beatrice bravely sought fulltime employment to support the family (at a time when most women were primarily housewives) as she cared for her disabled husband and four young children.  Beatrice worked various clerical and retail jobs over the years in both Michigan and Florida; notably as a most-unlikely-looking security agent/guard at Kmart and other department stores; and as a Driver’s License Processor in the Monroe County (MI) Sheriff’s Department.  In addition, she managed a Senior Citizen Center and had a Bee-line Clothing franchise in MI.

In 2016, after Murtha’s death, Beatrice chose to sell her home and move into Brookdale.  She often said how happy she was living there and that she had truly made a good decision.  Beatrice loved the staff at Brookdale and they also loved her very much.  She was a New-Resident Ambassador and she was delighted to show the “newbies” around.  She enjoyed fine dining everyday in the dining room, and delighted in sampling new/exotic food items.  Beatrice made many new friends and simply loved living in her first “single-girl” apartment.  Beatrice was well known for her lifelong love of sweets; she coveted the corner piece of every frosted cake, never turned down pie or cookies and she always kept several personal stashes of sweets.  Everyone could barely sit down to Holiday dinners before she was inquiring what was for dessert and WHEN would they be on the buffet.  At Brookdale, Beatrice was known for her sweet personality and for walking the floors dispensing candy and cookies to the residents on HER own birthday, Halloween and Valentine’s Day.  Everyone said how cute she was – well Yes, she was!

Beatrice was a woman of small stature but possessed a strong spirit and a quick, sharp mind right to the end, and she took a genuine interest in her children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews and their families. Beatrice was a lifelong practicing Catholic whose faith defined her – praying daily for others was what she claimed she did best.  Beatrice was on no medications, feeling no pains and walked “tall” using only a cane for balance until the last several months. Beatrice happily embraced technology and was proficient with a cell phone and her iPad.  “Honeybea”, as she was known, loved Facebook, Facetime Calls & Email. We were amazed to have her with us for almost 94 years - she is already missed by her family and will never be forgotten.

Beatrice is predeceased by her husband, her parents, all of her siblings, and one great-grandchild.  She is survived by four (4) children: Susan M. Scibetta, Boynton Beach, FL; Gary M. (Kathryn), Palm Coast, FL; Patrick J. (Paula); and Kenneth J., both Monroe, MI; twelve (12) grandchildren: Michelle Hochman, Aimee Shumate, Sheri Bless, Patrick S. Kiley, Steven Kiley, Kris Shepherd, April Chappell, Jennifer Bullard, Amber Kiley, Sara Martin, Emilie Scibetta and Shawn Kiley; and seventeen (17) great-grandchildren, plus more “grands” by marriage.

The family will receive friends Monday, April 22, 2019 from 5:00-8:00 PM at Glick Family Funeral Home, Boca Raton, FL.  A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 AM at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Lake Worth, FL and Beatrice will be laid to rest with Murtha at 12:45 PM at the South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth, FL.

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