Roger Augustin Kiley

SARATOGA SPRINGS Roger Augustin Kiley, died August 15, 2005 at age 58 in Hackensack, N.J., surrounded by the family he loved so much. He succumbed to pneumonia, a complication of the mylodisplasia he had been courageously fighting without complaint since 1994. He lived for his family, for his three sons and his beloved wife, Susan. Roger's open-hearted, non-judgmental love of people was the core value that shaped every aspect of his professional, community, and personal life, his devotion to his kids, his across the fence kind of neighborliness, his varied community service, and his love of Notre Dame and his native Saratoga Springs. Born on July 18, 1947, Roger was a third-generation Saratogian. Son of the town doctor, Joseph Kiley and grandson of longtime Commissioner of Finance, Mary Mulqueen. Roger went on to make his own mark on the city in which he so proudly raised is children. A scholar-athlete, Roger graduated as Salutatorian from St. Peter's Academy in 1965, while earning nine varsity letters, and serving as captain of championship baseball and basketball teams. He earned several scholarships to attend college at the University of Notre Dame, graduating in 1969, and went on to Columbia Law School. Service in Korea with the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War interrupted his law studies, but he returned to Columbia and completed his degree in 1974. Roger returned home to Saratoga Springs to join in the legal practice of Harry Snyder, and became a founding partner in the firm of Snyder, Kiley, and Toohey, where he specialized in commercial transactions and banking law. His keen legal mind led his partners and other lawyers to turn to him for advice on thorny problems. He served as assistant city attorney and on the Saratoga Springs Planning Board. He had been active in the Democratic party, as a committeeman and, for one year, as president of the Democratic committee. He volunteered for many activities at St. Peter's Church. Roger was strongly committed to helping people in need. Before the birth of his own sons, he had been a Big Brother to other young boys for many years, and was particularly proud to have been best man for one of his Little Brothers. Roger combined his legal expertise and his commitment to service in his long-time work for Legal Aid, doing much pro bono work himself and serving actively in running the Northeast Division of the New York Legal Aid Society. He was president of this organization from 1982-1984, received its Distinguished Service Award in 1987, and was also honored with the New York State Bar Association President's Pro Bono Service Award. In 2002, Saratoga Central Catholic elected him to its Hall of Fame, honoring him with the Rev. Dominic Ingemie Alumni Award for Christian Leadership. Roger's passion for Notre Dame was legendary. He believed in the school, and the humane and ethical values for which it stood. He loved the sports, the football in particular, and had begun to take his sons on his annual pilgrimage to one of the big games. After serious health problems led to his early retirement from law in June 2000, Roger devoted himself entirely to his kids and his family. He was a wonderful husband, a devoted father, and the best fan his athletic sons could have wished for. Roger's illness had only clarified his sense of what was important in life. He spent some of his retirement writing a private memoir for his family, a document that he hoped might help his young sons someday to understand what he had experienced, and learned during his life. He was at work on revising this memoir during the last week of his life. His positive, uncomplaining attitude was an inspiration to all around him, and he often remarked that he was just happy to be here and that it's all a bonus now. Roger is survived by his wife Susan J. Kiley; his three sons, Gregory, Mark and Andrew; his sister and brother-in-law, Mary Ellen and Bill Carroll, MD of Greenwich, N.Y. He was predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Kathryn Kiley of Saratoga Springs, and two brothers, Michael and Joseph. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. Friday, August 19, 2005 in the Church of St. Peter, 241 Broadway. Burial will follow in St. Peter's Cemetery on West Avenue. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. today (Thursday) at the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes, 628 North Broadway, 584-5373. Memorial contributions may be made to the Roger Kiley Memorial Fund at Saratoga Hospital, 211 Church Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. burkefuneralhome.com