Kathleen M. Seliga, 77, of Endicott passed away at her home on Thursday July 7 after a brave seven month battle with cancer. She was predeceased by her parents Peg and Cozy Dolan, her big brother and sister Bobby and Patsy Dolan, and her niece Jennifer. She will now be reunited in heaven with her high school sweetheart and husband of 57 years Marty, after an 11 month break. She is survived by her children who she considered her life’s work, Stephen, Maureen Moloney, Trish (Patrick) Moore, and Colleen (Brian) Salati all of whom surrounded her with love at home during her last months. She is also survived by her sister Barbara (Jim) Hill, her brother-in-law, Frank (Nancy) Seliga, sister-in-law Kathy Seliga, along with many wonderful nieces, nephews, cousins, and so many friends. Kathy will be missed greatly by the ten grandchildren who called her Grammy. Kate, Shannon, Abby, Liam, Colton, Sammy, Braedyn, Aubrey, Lucy, and her little sweat pea Charlie filled Kathy and Marty’s life with joy beyond measure.
Kathy was born in Oswego on June 13, 1945 but her parents moved the family back to Endicott shortly thereafter where she would spend the rest of her life. After attending St Ambrose Elementary School, “Dinky” went onto Seton Catholic HS, where she cheered and made her lifelong friends that she still would get together with for a girls’ weekend every year up until her passing. She met Marty when she was a junior at Seton, and they were a couple from the first date until he passed away 59 years later. Shortly after they were married in 1963, they began raising their family, and doing everything they loved doing together. For over 50 years they were members of St Joseph’s Church in Endicott, where Marty coached the varsity basketball team and Kathy coached the JV Cheerleaders. They were founding members of the St Joe’s Booster Club and ran the Pizza Frite concession at the Bazaar together for many years (she actually was in charge). Kathy spent time working at The Bank of New York, Agway, and Hallmark, before her and Marty retired and spent the next 19 years travelling around the country and spending their winters in Florida, where they met so many great friends. They loved going to games together, starting with their kid’s games at Logan Field, then travelling to see their grandchildren’s games in Seattle, Boston, and Poughkeepsie, and finally coming full circle with their youngest granddaughters’ softball games back at Davis Field, which in their later years they looked forward to so much. And when fall came, they never missed a Cornell football game. She also loved going on casino trips with her sister Barb and friend Betty, and she won more than she lost. Besides those games and winning a little at the casino, Kathy’s other love was dancing. She started as a tap dancer at a young age and at Seton she continued that love, being voted the Best Dancer, and she never lost it, polkaing (even if she was Irish) at every wedding or at the St Joe’s Bazaar, taking line dancing classes, and even getting up to dance when she was ill in her last months. She actually made Marty look like a decent dancer. Kathy showed us all that you should try and keep dancing for as long as you can.
Calling hours will be held at St Joseph’s Church on Monday July 11 at 9:30 am with a funeral mass to follow at 11 am. Burial will be in Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations to Mercy House of the Southern Tier, 212 N. McKinley Avenue Endicott NY 13760.
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