Obituary of Roberta E. (Fitzhenry) Kiley

Roberta Elaine (Fitzhenry) Kiley, 66, died peacefully in her home on Wednesday, surrounded by her family, after a 16-year battle with cancer. She was born on December 1, 1944 in East Hartford CT, to Mary Helena and Robert Emmet Fitzhenry. She married John D. Kiley on May 8, 1966. They recently celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary. They made their home in Saugus and raised three daughters, Debra K. Grazio, Sandra M. Kiley-Davis, and Linda E Knaian. Full of benevolence and goodwill, Roberta was active in support of many charitable causes. At 18, she traveled with the Jesuit Volunteers to teach children in Fairbanks, Alaska. She produced a television commercial starring folk singer Tom Paxton to raise money for the Huntington’s disease foundation. She and her husband John opened their home to many people in need, including more then 10 foster children over a 15 year period. Roberta was a member of MENSA and an author of crossword puzzles for Dell. She was a board member of the Lake Arrowhead Community in Maine, radio station WUMB, and founder of the Crimson Crazy Ladies and Scarlett Sisters chapters of the Red Hat Society. She worked for the Perkins School for the Blind, the IRS, and U.S. Postal Service. She is survived by her husband, John D. Kiley, her daughters, her brothers George Fitzhenry and John Fitzhenry, her sister Mary Daniels, her sons-in-law Hector J. Grazio III, Michael L. Davis, and Ara N. Knaian, and her grandchildren Hector J. Grazio IV, Lisa J. Grazio, Mikayla K. Davis, Aaron D. Knaian, and Abigail M. Knaian. She was pre-deceased by her brother Paul Fitzhenry and her angel babies Laurie A. Kiley and Diedre J. Kiley. Visitation will be held on Friday, May 20, from 4-8 PM at the Conway Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St., Peabody. The funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, at 10 AM, in St. Adelaide’s Church, Peabody, MA. Burial will be in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Lynn. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Roberta’s name to Hospice of the North Shore 75 Sylvan St. Suite B-102 Danvers, MA 01923.