Karen A. Kilgallen

April 4, 1948–March 27, 2025

Karen A. Kilgallen, age 76, passed away peacefully at her home in

Honesdale, Pennsylvania on Thursday, March 27.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Karen was a proud New Yorker and graduate

of Catherine McCauley High School. Growing up and throughout her life,

she was very close with her large family of aunts, uncles, and

cousins. A lifelong lover of music, she went to countless concerts of

eventual legends, including the Beatles; the Rolling Stones; the Beach

Boys; Fleetwood Mac; Hall and Oates; and Crosby, Stills, and Nash. She

was even friends with the members of Poco.

Karen had a successful career, first as an executive assistant in the

office of the New York City Mayor in City Hall, Downtown Manhattan,

then at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City.

Later, Karen moved to Milford and then Hawley, Pennsylvania. She spent

time as a travel agent and was active in local politics, eventually

starting her own successful consulting business, helping local

communities manage their properties, staffs, and finances.

Through the years, she enjoyed memberships in the Red Hats and her

local Catholic parishes. She was always up for fun, such as traveling,

singing, playing games, going to pool parties and porch parties, line

dancing, tap dancing, and seizing any opportunity to play dress up.

She was very involved in her children’s activities, including leading

her daughter’s Girl Scout troop and her son’s football boosters. (You

may have heard her ringing her cowbell at one of those games.) She was

a great listener, and she always found a reason to smile and laugh,

even through difficult times.

Karen is survived by daughter Keightley Amen (Wittich); son-in-law Rob

Amen; their children, Elizabeth, Alex, Matthew, and William; son Gary;

daughter-in-law Melissa (MacDowell); and their children, Eden,

Caroline, and Joey. She also is survived by sister Mary Jane Graf;

brother-in-law Ralph Graf; and their children, Ashley Federer (husband

Mike and daughter Sophie) and Ryan Graf (wife Jess and daughter

Audrey). She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Mary

Kilgallen.

Karen’s family wishes to thank her neighbors, home helpers, and

hospice nurses for their help and friendship.

The family will receive friends at Arthur A. Bryant Funeral Home, 1228

Main St., Honesdale, from 4-7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1 and from

8:30-9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 2. A Catholic Mass will be held at

10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 2 at St. Mary Magdalen Church, 416 Church

St., Honesdale. Family and friends are invited to a lunch reception

after church at a location to be determined. In lieu of flowers, Karen

asked that donations be made to the National Kidney Foundation.