Kathleen Marie Wolfe

Kathleen Marie (O’Neill) Wolfe (November 13, 1944 - March 22, 2026)

Kathie would want everyone reading this to know that only her mother Marie Reynolds O’Neill and her father Francis O’Neill referred to her as Kathleen. For everyone else she was Kathie, or Aunt Kathie, or Kathie Cutie, or occasionally Hot Rod Mama (a self-proclaimed nickname), if she was trying to make her children laugh while “burning rubber” in her 1980s station wagon.

Kathie was born in Philadelphia on November 13, 1944 to her parents Marie and Francis O'Neill. To say they were charmed by their only child would be an understatement; she was beloved. Kathie was an incredibly social child and grew up surrounded by her grandparents, numerous cousins, aunts, and uncles in the Juniata Park neighborhood of Philadelphia. She attended Holy Innocents Catholic School and it was during this time that Kathie’s loving yet mischievous personality shone through. Many of the Catholic nuns who educated and occasionally disciplined Kathie for her hijinks became her lifelong pen pals. She made friends wherever she went, in part, because she led with an authenticity and zest for life that was unmatched. For high school, Kathie attended St. Mary’s Academy in Philadelphia and most enjoyed being in the school’s chorus. After graduating high school in 1962, Kathie worked at Provident National Bank.

In October of 1964, she was introduced via blind date to Michael Wolfe, which she later reminisced with humor in her voice that it “worked out pretty good.” They had a nearly three year courtship, in part because Michael was serving as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and was deployed in the Mediterranean. Michael continued romancing Kathie via daily letters and they would later marry on May 6, 1967. They were married just two months shy of 59 years.

It was during this time that Kathie began to lose her hearing and would ultimately suffer from severe bilateral nerve deafness. As she often recalled, her doctor explained that he had good news and bad news upon giving her the diagnosis. The bad news was that she would become completely deaf, but the good news was that she had an inherent gift for lip reading. It was almost like a super power for the rest of her life, allowing her to communicate with everyone she met so long as they looked at her while they were in conversation.

Kathie and Michael ultimately returned to the Philadelphia area after a brief time in Norfolk, Virginia. They purchased their first home in Bensalem, PA and later adopted their first miniature schnauzer puppy, Bismarck. It was their greatest wish as a married couple to become parents and this wish came true in 1973 with their first child Susan Marie, followed 22 months later by Noël Kristin. Despite repeatedly stating that she wanted 5 boys and got 2 girls, Kathie was the most loving mother. She had a magnetic personality and often found herself surrounded by children, her own two included, as if they could sense a kindred spirit, a playful friend, and a trusted confidant. She was routinely a recess aide at St. Ephrem’s Catholic School while Susan and Noel attended. For many years she also volunteered in their classrooms to teach all of the kids sign language, even though that was not her primary form of communication. A second miniature schnauzer was brought into the home, Ajax, and she loved him as much as she did her first. Spencer would follow as their retirement dog 17 years later. A messy house never took priority over fun together, music was never too loud, a spilled drink was never something to be upset about, and shared laughter was the soundtrack of her children’s lives.

Kathie had an irreverent sense of humor. She loved to “embarrass” her tween and then teen daughters by talking very loudly in public and then remarking “am I being loud, I can’t hear myself,” followed by her own raucous laughter. She rarely talked about the challenges she faced because of her deafness, though she wrote a poem titled “deaf not dumb,” where she shared the hurts that she suffered by those who lacked empathy and treated her as less than the amazing person she was. Kathie was a fiercely loyal friend who loved going to Phillies games, and out to dinner with friends followed by a competitive round of Scrabble. She was also deeply empathetic. She never shied away from supporting those she loved through the toughest times in their lives. She loved freely and without restraint.

Kathie’s greatest joy may have been the birth of her three grandchildren. Her oldest grandchild Ashleigh Marie was born to Susan and her husband Jeff Crum in 2011 and it was a dream come true. Kathie got to be with Ashleigh nearly every day and it brought a deep sense of joy into her life. Eight months later to the day, Kathie finally got her wish for a boy when her grandson Tate was born to her daughter Noël and her partner Katie Stewart. Two years later, her third grandchild Carmen was born to Noël and Katie and to Kathie’s delight she recognized a kindred mischievous spirit in her youngest grandchild. Kathie was a devoted MomMom. She loved playing, singing, and reading to all of her grandchildren, as well as the occasional pillow fight. When Kathie was diagnosed with a rapid onset dementia near her 71st birthday, it was her grandchildren that continued to bring out her playful spirit. Despite the struggles that dementia brought, Kathie loved meeting new people and continued making new friends and making them laugh up until the last days of her life.

Kathie passed away at her home in Rochester, New York on March 22, 2026. At the time of her death, she was surrounded by her husband and the love of her life Michael and her two daughters Susan and Noël. Much to her happiness, she visited with her grandchildren Ashleigh, Tate, and Carmen on the night before she passed away. Kathie was light and laughter personified. The world is a dimmer place without her.

For the many friends, family members, godchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins that Kathie loved:

Kathie’s funeral service will be held on April 18, 2026 at St. Ephrem Catholic Church, 5400 Hulmeville Rd, Bensalem, PA 19020, where she was parishioner for nearly five decades. There will be a visitation from 10 am to 11 am, then a mass. After the mass, there will be a celebration luncheon of Kathie’s life at the Three Monkeys Cafe located at 9645 James St, Philadelphia, PA 19114.