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Catherine Cecilia Lawler DeLemos (Aunt Kitty)
written by Helen Foley Hawkins
Above: Aunt Kitty, Christmas 1963.
Kitty Lawler was born in New York City on October 30, l887 to James and Mary Byrne Lawler, the oldest of three sisters, her siblings having been Mary Gertrude and Ella Dolores. They all went to a local parochial grammar school and high school. She probably learned shorthand and typing in high school.
Kitty eventually obtained a secretarial job with the office of the Borough President of the City of New York. It was apparently through that job that she met and eventually married Sidney Phillip DeLemos, who was an engineer with the City of New York. They were married about 1922 in the sanctuary of a Catholic church, although not at a main altar because Sidney was not a Catholic, but was Jewish, however it does not seem that he was a strict member of that faith, for there was no mention of going to temple frequently. They lived in a very nice apartment in Washington Heights, on 175th Street, with his mother, Bertha DeLemos, to whom Kitty was most kind and respectful. She was in failing health and they had a nurse, a Mrs. Finger, who was German who came daily to help with her care.
Kitty stopped working once she was married. She often came over to Leonia to visit the Foley family, usually spending the day about once a week. Sidney would come over for dinner after work. Sidney had a brother Fred DeLemos, married to Sylvia. They lived in Ohio and came from time to time to see his mother in New York. Kitty became friendly with several of the DeLemos relatives, cousins and aunts, Elsie, Clara and Aunt Belle, whom she saw occasionally over the years after Sidney died.
Sidney, who was a major in the Army reserve (having served in WWI), was killed while riding a horse in Van Cortland Park in about 1931. Thereafter Kitty came to live with the Foley family in Leonia for four or five years. However, since things were somewhat crowded at 223 Van Orden Avenue, with six children and a live in maid, it was suggested by our pastor, Fr. Peter Kramer, Order of the Carmelites, that Kitty should move into an apartment in Leonia, which she did at 330 Fort Lee Road, about one mile from the Foleys, and she lived there until she died in 1969.
Kitty was always carefully dressed and took excellent care of all her possessions, the importance of which she tried to impress on us girls. She did any sewing that our mother asked her to, including innumerable hems, cuffs, etc . On two or three occasions when our mother wanted to take a trip with our father, Kitty came and stayed at our house for the duration. She also made a yearly trip to Park Ridge, Illinois, where their sister Ella Carr lived. Our grandmother, Mary Byrne Lawler (Grammie) would come to visit us in Leonia once each year (often while Kitty was in Park Ridge).
When our mother was suffering from the final stages of breast cancer, in addition to the nurses required, Kitty was at the house to help all she could.
She contracted bladder cancer in the late sixties, and died of it at Holy Name Hospital, Teaneck, New Jersey,on March 4, 1969 at the age of 82.
She was an important part of our growing years and was very good to us all.
Hawkins Family Letters between Howard and His Sisters
Helen Foley Hawkins' Ancestors
Howard Jr.'s Letter to Uncle SI
Howard and Helen's Trip to China, Parts Four and Five
Howard and Helen's Trip to China Part Three
Howard and Helen's Trip to China, Part Two
Howard and Helen's Trip to China, Part One Written by Helen Hawkins in 1972
In 2013, the Hawkins family, along with our relatives the Cooks and the Lochers, were terribly saddened to learn that the Hawkins Farm house, where the Hawkins family had grown up and which held so many wonderful memories for all of us, had been struck by lightning and burned down. There were no salvageable photographs or mementos; the damage was too great; however the family has kept letters and photos, as well as other items, over the years and some of this will be presented on this website over time. Recent additions showing some of our visits can be viewed under the Hawkins Farm page of this site. It is still hard to believe the Farm is gone; it was so much a part of our lives. It is a very sad loss. Our great thanks to our cousin Bill Cook for his quick action upon learning the news, and going out to Indiana to help out however possible. We hope to preserve our memories of happier times on the Farm here. Please feel welcome to leave your memories or other comments at the link below. Rosemary Hawkins
