Kathleen Keany; Former Insurance Underwriter

Oxnard resident Kathleen Keany died Sunday morning after a long battle with cancer. She was 80.

Born Oct. 5, 1918, in New York City, Keany came to Los Angeles on a vacation in the early 1950s.

During the trip she met Hugh Keany, who had recently immigrated from Ireland, at a barn dance in North Hollywood. Her family had also come to the United States from Ireland, so the pair hit it off quickly.

“There was something nice about her that I felt maybe we could make it together,” Hugh Keany said.

She stayed in California, and after about nine months the couple married in 1954.

She worked as an assistant insurance underwriter for Safeco, and he worked for the city of Los Angeles. The couple lived in North Hollywood, Granada Hills and Chatsworth.

They had no children.

The Keanys continued to go dancing often and enjoyed visiting Las Vegas. When they retired and moved to Oxnard in 1980, Kathleen Keany took up oil painting.

“We had a good life, and I thank God for it,” said Hugh Keany, his wife’s only surviving relative.

The funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday at Santa Clara Church in Oxnard. Arrangements are being handled by James A. Reardon Mortuary, Oxnard.

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Ventura County obituaries are compiled by Linda Herron. They are published free of charge as a public service to readers, based on information provided by mortuaries.