Catherine Eileen Kehrberger

Catherine Eileen Kehrberger, 73, passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home in Lakewood Township, NJ on July 3, 2019.
Catherine ‘Cathy’ was born on May 10, 1946 at Morrisania Hospital in the Bronx, NY. This was something she was very proud of, and you could hear her often say, “I’m a New Yorkah, born and raised in the Bronx.”
She graduated from St Helena’s High School in the Bronx with a specialized degree in computer programming. She worked for Ebasco company in the World Trade Center with her late brother Thomas Kehrberger in the 1980’s where she hosted the family to view the 4th of July fireworks, helped her niece Jeanne’s girl scout troop earn their computer badge, and cooked over 50 lbs of corned beef and cabbage for the annual St Patrick’s Day office celebration! She took the tradition of the St Patrick’s Day office celebration to Raytheon in NYC as well as the Washington Group International in both Augusta, Georgia and Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Those locations made for fun visits for family and friends.
Catherine loved rooting for the Yankees, spending time with family and friends, traveling, animals, reading mysteries, bowling, playing softball, playing the slots, her independence and having fun.
Catherine was in a bowling league and when she last played with the family she impressed them all with her own ball and shoes! She also played softball in an adult women’s league in the City. Her favorite mysteries were the ones where the pets helped solve the mystery. Catherine’s love of travel brought her to Alaska, Germany, Ireland, Niagara Falls, Aruba, Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Boston, Disney World, Texas, and more!
Catherine loved animals. Especially her pets: Bullet, Peggy, Kelly, Kerry, Shannon, Bridie, Bella... she always had a furry friend nearby. An elephant enthusiast to the extreme - she surrounded herself with elephants in her home- from elephants on blankets, pillows, in artwork, a collection of over 400 figurines, to the elephant necklace she always wore.
Catherine loved her family. Growing up she was daddy’s little girl and was his ‘princess.’ She enjoyed visiting her aunts and uncles in the summers, being pulled on the sled by Bullet (the family dog) in the winter, and going to the movies with her brothers George and Tommy. Later on in her life, she took excellent care of her aging mother and spoiled her nieces and nephews. Kristina, Anthony, Liz, Kim, Jeanne, and Katie have so many fond memories with her, including watching the Barnum and Bailey Circus at Madison Square Garden, playing wiffle ball in her backyard in Queens, her delicious leg of lamb and sauerkraut with caraway seeds, HUGE Easter baskets, playing Jackpot, shopping, bowling, Disney World, eating at a diner - whatever or wherever, it was always so much fun to hang out with ‘Aunt Cathy’.
Catherine’s family and friends enjoyed her chats, her matter of fact advice, her sarcastic sense of humor with one-liners that made everyone laugh. At weddings, you could always find her on the dance floor! Even as recent as last year with her oxygen tank Catherine was dancing up a storm at her sister-in-law Pat’s party.
Catherine is lovingly survived by her brother George and sister-in-law Patricia Kehrberger; her niece Kristina Jerome; her nephew Robert Jerome; her nephew Anthony Kehrberger and wife Mindy; her niece Elizabeth Smith and husband Jim; her niece Kim Borchert and husband Adam; her niece Jeanne Bouvier; her niece Katie Kehrberger and boyfriend Jason Ridgely; her cousin Theresa Johnson and husband Dwayne and their children; her cousin Joey Peraglia and wife Kerry and their children; her grandnieces Kayla Jerome, Jane Smith and Lily Kehrberger; and her grandnephews Joe Smith and Timmy Kehrberger.
In heaven she joins her mother Catherine ‘Kitty’ (Mahoney) Kehrberger, her father George Kehrberger, her brother Thomas and sister-in-law Hope Kehrberger, her cousin Maria and husband Joseph Peraglia and many other family members.
Catherine will be forever loved and missed. Rest in peace, Catherine, or party it up, up there and if that’s the case, we’ll see you on the dance floor! We love you.
The wake/service will take place on Tuesday, July 9th from 9-11am at Feeney Funeral Home, 232 Franklin Ave, Ridgewood, NJ. For those who are able, we will drive to Pinelawn Cemetery in Farmingdale, Long Island where her parents are also buried, for a short burial ceremony at 1pm. Celebratory luncheon at Vespa Italian Kitchen in Farmingdale to follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family is suggesting a donation to the American Heart Association or the Jersey Shore Animal Shelter (or a local animal shelter/rescue in your area) in her memory.


American Heart Association: https://www2.heart.org/site/SPageNavigator/donatenow_heart.html?s_src=nav&pagename=%2Fdonatenow_heart&utm_expid=.Gd9MG4GFQjaAcfhuC0-%20%20l4w.0&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.heart.org%2F


Jersey Shore Animal Shelter

https://jerseyshoreanimalcenter.org/donate/