Catherine (Lillis) Long

It is with great sadness that the family of Catherine T. Long, of Bayonne, NJ, announces her passing from a sudden illness on June 20, 2021, at the age of 88 years.

Catherine was born on October 27, 1932, to the late Catherine and Martin Lillis and was raised in Jersey City.  She married the late Bartholomew F. Long, Jr. and settled in Bayonne where they raised their family.

A graduate of Sacred Heart Grammar School and St. Aloysius High School, Catherine attended Holy Name Hospital School of Nursing, Teaneck, and became a registered nurse.  She worked at Christ Hospital, Jersey City, for five years, the Veterans’ Hospital, East Orange, for six years, and then Bayonne Hospital for over 30 years.  She was the head of the EKG and Cardiac Stress Test Department, the first R.N. to ever hold that position.  Her strong devotion to nursing was obvious to everyone who knew her.

After retirement, it was common for Catherine to travel and take care of sick family members and members of the community.  One could not ask for a better nurse.   

Catherine lived a life of service, which included membership in the St. Andrew’s Rosary Society, the Marine Corps League Auxiliary, the American Legion Auxiliary Post #19, and the Irish American League of Bayonne who honored her as Irishwoman of the Year in 2009.  She was also a member of the Nurses’ Health Study at Harvard Medical School.

Catherine was a lifelong practicing Roman Catholic with strong Christian beliefs. She was proud of her Irish heritage and loved Irish music and dancing.

Catherine loved life and acknowledged her special blessing to be a wife, mother, grandmother, and nurse.  Her greatest passion was her family and nothing meant more to her than spending time with them.

Catherine was predeceased by her beloved husband, Bartholomew F. Long, Jr. in 2000.  She is survived by her loving children, Bill Long (Ellen Sisk), Catherine Mulick (Robert), Margaret Duda (the late Carl), Mary Beth Long (Nancy Carroll), Susan Marques (Fred), and Joan Shaw (Chris); her cherished grandchildren, Jack and Ryan Long, Matthew (Paula), Andrew, and Catherine Mulick, Fredrick Marques and Christopher Shaw Jr, many loving nieces and nephews, cousins and friends; and her beloved dog, Cougar.  She was also predeceased by her dear siblings, Martin Lillis, William “Billy” Lillis, Mary “Sis” Quinn and Margaret McIntyre.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Thursday, June 24, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Bayonne Memorial Home, Inc. A funeral Mass will be held at Blessed Miriam Teresa Parish at St. Andrew the Apostle Church on Friday, June 25, at 10:00 a.m. Interment will be held at Brigadier General William C. Doyle NJ Veterans’ Cemetery on June 30, 2021 at 12:30 p.m. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Blessed Miriam Teresa Food Pantry, 326 Avenue C, Bayonne, NJ 07002.  

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