Florence A. (O’Brien) Kissane died at her home in Hampton Bays on January 12. She was just five days from her 89th birthday.
Ms. Kissane was born January 17, 1932 at Southampton Hospital to John and Josephine (Butler) O’Brien. She was the fourth child born to the couple. Josephine (Butler) O’Brien died in 1943 when Florence was only 11 years old. Her father then married Alice (Malone) O’Brien.
Ms. Kissane attended Kings County Hospital and earned her nursing degree (RN). She assisted with the first open-heart surgery performed there.
She was an operating room nurse for over 39 years at Southampton Hospital. She retired in 1995.
Ms. Kissane was involved with the Dominican Sisters of Hope, serving as an associate member to the congregation. She was on committees with the Dominicans and St. Rosalie’s R.C. Church: Peace and Social Justice Committee and Committee for the Common Good. For years, she bought, cooked, and served Thanksgiving turkeys in Harlem, volunteered in Mississippi and Belize for weeks at a time to serve in clinics there run by the Dominican Sisters.
Ms. Kissane was a lector and an extraordinary minister at St. Rosalie’s Church in Hampton Bays.
She was predeceased by her son, Richard D. Kissane Jr. (September 9, 2020); as well as her parents, John J. O’Brien, Josephine (Butler) O’Brien, Alice (Malone) O’Brien; her sisters, Virginia (O’Brien) DeLauro, Rosemary (O’Brien) Marcincuk; and her brother, John F. O’Brien.
She is survived by her daughter, Suzanne (Kissane) and her husband Richard Lewis of East Quogue; her daughter-in-law, Laura (Dawkins) Kissane of East Quogue; and her grandchildren, Matthew (Tegen) of Colorado, Kate (Donald) Brooks of Florida, Bridget Lewis of Hampton Bays, Owen and Liam Lewis of East Quogue; and her great-granddaughter, Elliot Grace of Colorado. She is also survived by her sisters Josephine (O’Brien) Cassidy, (Tom) and Maryalice O’Brien; best friend, Sister Anne Marie Bucher of the Bronx; and Sister Margaret Mary Rottinghaus of Mt. Vernon; many nieces, nephews, and friends.
Services were held Monday and Tuesday at Scott Rothwell Funeral Home in Hampton Bays and St. Rosalie’s R.C. Church in Hampton Bays.