Kathleen C. (Hayes) Whelan

July 01, 2008

NEW BEDFORD – Kathleen C. (Hayes) Whelan, 99, formerly of Carroll St., New Bedford, died Tuesday, July 1, 2008, at the Taber Street Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in New Bedford, after a brief illness. She was the daughter of the late Michael and the late Catherine (Flanagan) Hayes and the devoted wife of the late Alexander W. Whelan, Capt. NBFD (ret.). Born in Taunton, MA, she lived in New Bedford most of her life and was a communicant of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at St, James Church.

Mrs. Whelan was a graduate of New Bedford High School and Hyannis Teachers College in 1929. She was an elementary school teacher, beginning her career in a two-room, multi-grade schoolhouse in Coventry, RI, and later taught in the New Bedford Public School system at the H.A. Kempton School, the Green School and the Acushnet Ave. School, until her retirement. She was a member of the Catholic Women’s Club, the Hyannis Teacher’s College Club and the Massachusetts Retired Teachers Association.

Mrs. Whelan was the beloved mother of Ann Marie Cronin and her husband Joseph of Boston, and Michael W. Whelan and his wife Arlene of South Yarmouth and Michigan; the loving grandmother of Erin Cronin and her partner, Christopher Lawson of Hawaii, Megan Scolaro and her husband Michael of Raynham, Michael Cronin and his wife Lauren of Methuen, and the late Kerry-Ann Cronin; Colleen Leonard and her husband Ray, Christine Whelan and Cathi Whelan, all of Ohio, and the late Cara (Whelan) Wilson; and the proud great-grandmother of Jacob, Caroline, Michael and Nicholas Leonard and Liam and Anna Cronin.

Funeral Information

Her funeral will be held Monday, July 7, 2008 at 10:00 AM from the Donaghy Funeral Home, 465 County Street, New Bedford followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 12:00 PM in Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at St. James’ Church. Interment will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery, New Bedford. To LIGHT A CANDLE, SIGN THE MEMORIAL REGISTER, consult THE GRIEF LIBRARY, or obtain FACILITY DIRECTIONS, should please log on to www.hathawayfunerals.com., or please telephone 508/992-5486.

Donations Information

In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to the Jimmy Fund, 10 Brookline Pl West, 6th floor, Brookline, MA 02445, and/or the American Brain Tumor Association, 2720 River Rd., Des Plaines, IL 60018.