OBITUARIES

With the deepest sympathies of the Irish Center

OBITUARIES ARCHIVE

OBITUARIES 2023

SEPTEMBER

MAUREEN FRANCES HUNT

September 14, 1934 – September 18, 2023

Our mom Maureen Hunt (nee Keane) passed away peacefully at home on September 18, 2023 surrounded by her two daughters, Pauline and Marcie as well as three of her caregivers. Mom’s long battle with Alzheimer’s disease came to an end that morning when she left this life to be reunited with our Dad, Tom.

 Mom was born in Aughamore, County Mayo. She was the second of five children born to Owen and Jane Keane. In 1943 when Mom was only 8 years old, Jane Keane died unexpectedly leaving Mom, the eldest girl to run the household and care for her 3 year old brother and 4 year old sister. Her 9 month old sister was sent to live with other family members. Mom moved to Cork when she was 18 years old and lived in a flat with three other girls. One of those girls was Kathleen Hunt who had a brother Tom. Mom dated Tom until he left for America in 1959 and Mom followed him here in 1961 where she married him on July 22, 1961 in New York. They had their two daughters while living in New York and later moved to Southern California where their son Sean was born in West Covina. Mom was a stay at home mom for the first 12 years. She took us to Girl Scouts, soccer practice, baseball practice, and numerous trips to the beach in the summer. She was a devout Catholic and active in her parish. When she returned to work, she worked for the County of Los Angeles with the Probation Department as a secretary in Alhambra. After a few years she transferred to the Industry Sheriff Station as the traffic secretary where she worked for 18 years and retired on her 62nd birthday. The following year Mom became a US citizen. Mom’s greatest job was that of grandmother to her four grandchildren, Colin, Fiona, Quinn, and Riley. She loved babysitting them and attending their school events. She was so proud of Colin last year when he became an LAPD officer. Mom was a very strong and loving woman. She was kind and generous and will be deeply missed. She leaves behind her children Pauline, Marcie (Terry), Sean (Nicole), grandchildren Colin, Fiona, Quinn, and Riley, her sister Pauline Jordan (Vincent) in Castlebar, Mayo as well as nieces and nephews.

Please join us for her celebration of life mass on Saturday, November 25, 2023 at 10:30 AM at Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church. 5195 Stearns St. Long Beach, CA 90815.

Reception following at The Grand Long Beach 4101 E. Willow St. Long Beach, CA 90815.

Please RSVP Pauline Hunt for the reception at [email protected]  or (562) 305-8304 before November 10, 2023.

In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org or the Irish Center of Southern California at irishcenter.org

Maureen Frances Hunt

MAY

THOMAS MYLES MCCONVILLE
1931 – 2023

THOMAS MYLES MCCONVILLE

Our beloved father has left us, but has reunited with the love of his life, Joan – who after 65 years of marriage – went before him to prepare a place for them to spend eternity together with the Almighty.

Tom was born in Portadown, County of Armagh, Northern Ireland, where he excelled in school and in sports. He played for the Tir na nÓg Gaelic Football Club and played left half back for the Armagh GAA All Ireland Championship minor team in 1949.

He met Joan in Portadown, and after their marriage in 1954, they emigrated from Northern Ireland to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) before immigrating to Southern California to join his brother Rory and a growing Irish community there.

Tom was proud of his Irish heritage and started a weekly radio show to play Irish music and provide relevant news to the Irish and Irish American community. His radio program continued for over forty years. Tom was also a long-term contributor to the Irish Center of Southern California, an organization that promotes Irish culture and supports Irish and Irish American causes.

Tom will be remembered for his sense of humor, quick wit, and willingness to help others. But to his family, he will be remembered as a devoted husband and caring father who encouraged his children to have faith, work hard and laugh often. Most people who knew him will agree with the highest of compliments – he was a good man.

Tom is survived by his six children and their spouses Michael (Mary), Brenda (Darren (RIP)), Maura, Daniel (Nellie), Eileen, Thomas (Celestine), nine grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church located at 3801 Scott Road, Burbank, CA 91504, with the Vigil (Rosary) on Friday May 12th at 7:30 pm, and Funeral Mass on Saturday May 13th at 12:00 pm. Burial will follow at the San Fernando Mission Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Irish Center of Southern California, P.O. Box 15904, North Hollywood, CA. 91615.

MARCH/APRIL

Johnny & Mary Leon

Johnny-and-Mary-Leon

It is with a heavy heart that I wish to inform the Irish Center of the passing of my Uncle Johnny (John) Leon on April 23rd, 2023 just one month to the day after losing his wife, Mary, who died peacefully on March 26th, 2023. Both were  surrounded by their family.

Johnny’s service will be held this coming May 11th, 2023 starting with the vigil/visitation from 9am -12:45pm rooms B&C, Funeral Mass 1pm – Chapel. Reception to follow.  Mission Hills Catholic Mortuary Church  11160 Stranwood Ave, Mission Hills, CA 91345.

Mary and Johnny (John) were married for over 67 years.Both from Dublin Ireland.
Mary was from Drimnagh, Dublin 12 and John from the South Circular Road, Dublin 8. They were married in St. Agnes’s Parish Crumlin. Johnny and Mary came to California in the early 1960’s and settled in Eagle Rock,Glendale. They quickly became members of the Irish Center of Southern California and loved getting involved with the events, such as the dinner dances and trips to Laughlin. Not to forget Tom McConville’s “Irish Hour” every Sunday. For them, this was a window into the world they had left behind, when there were no phones, emails or texts. In fact, if they wanted to call home they had to book in advance  via a letter (snail mail) with one of the neighbour on the street in Dublin where their parents lived. As the neighbour would be the only one who owned a phone on the street so they time and date of the call could be set up. And all that could be said when the call came through was “how’s the weather and this must be costing you a fortune”, then time would run out. The Irish Center was a great comfort,

They will be sadly missed by Mary’s sister, Betty, here in California, Johnny’s brother Laurence and sister-in-law, Catherine, in Dublin, their two daughters Maria and Karen, son-in-laws Joe and Fernando, Grandchildren, Great-Grandchildren, Nephews and Nieces (both here in California and Dublin), Friends and everyone whose paths they crossed. “Codladh sámh” – “Sleep well”