Sr. Kathleen Crowley was born in Macroom, County Cork, Ireland, in February 1940. She was one of a family of four, two boys and two girls. Kathleen was educated locally, both at nursery and Primary level followed by a Secretarial Course in the Technical College there.

She entered MMM in Drogheda in October 1960. After her initial formation period, postulancy and novitiate, her first assignment was to the office in the Maternity Hospital. She was an excellent Receptionist and Secretary, very sociable and very understanding of the patients and their families as they came in and out.

Her first overseas assignment came in 1973. It was to the Turkana Desert in Kenya. There she was involved in a wide variety of activities. In Turkana she worked with women’s’ groups teaching them skills like Mandaleo. This craft work enabled them to make beautiful baskets and other items which they were then able to sell, thus providing them with some income. She was also coordinator of Women’s’ groups helping in their education and development.

She was Administrator in Kakuma Hospital for some months.

For four years she combined the ministries of Diocesan Secretary and Medical Coordinator of the Health Centre. When Lodwar was handed over to the Diocese in 2009, Kathleen moved to Nairobi and became the Marketing and Sales Manager for Turkana Women’s groups until 2013.

She was also Regional Secretary in Nairobi for four years.

Kathleen was a great character – full of personality, highly sociable and passionate in her love for Irish games, hurling and football, especially when Cork was playing and preferably winning!

In 2013 Kathleen began to have health issues and was assigned to Beechgrove where she worked in Áras Mhuire and helped generally in the house. But in 2017 her health began to deteriorate further, and she was admitted to Áras Mhuire in February 2018 for much needed care. She was happy in Aras Mhuire and had many happy times there before her final illness. Her general condition worsened somewhat unexpectedly on April 26th, and she slipped away quietly on April 27th.

She is buried in St. Peter’s Cemetery, Drogheda.