Kathleen A. (“Kay”) Caruso March 22, 1941 - August 11, 2023

Kathleen A. (“Kay”) Caruso was a kind, thoughtful, and memorable woman who forever touched many lives with her tenacious spirit, her dedication, and her gracious heart. She was the daughter of the late Mike and Catherine “Kate” Cassini from whom she inherited many wonderful attributes. She also had a loving sister, Mary Gail Cassini, and an unforgettable brother, the late Mike Cassini, Jr., whom she missed dearly. She was also blessed with four devoted sons–Tony, Jim, Steve, and Michael–for whom she provided her undying love and support. But her defining relationship was her 62-year marriage to F. Anthony “Tony” Caruso, who cherished and adored her from the beginning and who devoted his entire life to supporting her in every sense of the word. Tony and Kay were inseparable for decades until Kay’s health condition required more acute care. They enjoyed each day together and maintained an undeniable bond that carried through their entire lives. They also attended countless hundreds of baseball, basketball, and soccer games of the four sons from Little League up through high school games at St. Xavier, and Kay felt great enjoyment and pride in rooting on her sons.

Kay survived the traditional indoctrination of Catholic school education and the infamous Sister Delores at Guardian Angels School. She graduated from McNicholas High School in 1959 where she made many lifelong friends. She was the Mardi Gras Queen that year, an honor she later proudly passed on to her niece, Amy Arbino Wylie, in 1988. She and Tony married on June 17, 1961. She stayed home to raise the sons, which was no small feat after having the first 3 children in less than 3 years, yet always had time for Tony Sr.  She was a faithful Catholic and dragged the boys to church each Sunday. It was during these early years that she honed her remarkable cooking skills. Her lasagna and meatballs would become the stuff of legends.

After her sons were grown, Kay rejoined the workforce, holding administrative positions for many years at the Athenaeum of Ohio Seminary and Beech Acres. She excelled in these positions as a result of her remarkable attention to detail and meticulousness. She later became her own entrepreneur, purchasing an embroidery business aptly known as “Angels Threads”. She devoted untold hours to creating beautiful items for her customers, and the perfectionist in her meant that every stitch was precise.

Throughout the years Kay also had numerous hobbies to which she devoted her limitless energy and focus. These included sewing, macrame, needlepoint, and collecting innumerable Cat’s Meow pieces, to name just a few. She loved music (Johnny Mathis, John Denver, and Glen Campbell were among her favorites), and her knowledge of the lyrics to every song was almost mind-boggling. She was also a big Reds baseball fan and spared no superlatives for her favorite player, Johnny Bench. In later years she also devoted her time to becoming an amateur poet, and a number of her poems were published. Her poetry beautifully reflected her rich life with Tony and the four (now grown) sons.

She also loved cats and in 1986 convinced Tony (who formerly held cats in less than high regard) to take in their first, Andretti. Thereafter, she had numerous cats whom she and Tony loved unconditionally and treated like their firstborn.

Kay also put her time and effort into charitable endeavors. She made catnip bags by the hundreds to donate to animal shelters. She also made receiving blankets for newborns at Mercy Hospital. As always, she pursued these charitable ventures with the same level of dedication and attention to detail that defined her.

At age 68 Kay was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, which slowly but progressively diminished her capabilities and ultimately required a move to assisted living at Arden Courts. But Kay handled her disease with grace and humility and never complained about the insidious illness. She was ultimately transferred to Siena Gardens skilled nursing facility where she stayed until she died.

In addition to her husband and four sons, Kay is survived by two daughters-in-law, Jeanette Caruso and Carla Caruso, her sister Mary Gail Cassini, brother-in-law Joseph Palermo, sisters-in-law Fran Palermo, Angie Thorman, and Marie Caruso, eight grandchildren (Haley, Ethan, Max, Bennett, Harris, Weston, Shae, and Hayden), two great grandchildren (Charlotte and Emie), and numerous nieces and nephews. She was also predeceased by another granddaughter, the late Rachel Caruso.

Kay will be deeply missed by her family and friends, who were extremely blessed to have her in their lives.

Visitation will be held on Friday, August 18th from 3:30-5:30 pm at St. Stephen Catholic Church, 3804 Eastern Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226 with a funeral mass immediately following. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to the Ohio Pet Sanctuary or The Scratching Post Cat Shelter.