Kathleen McBride

Kathleen Grieco McBride of Venice, Fla., formerly of Jersey Shore, Pa. slipped the surly bonds of earth at home in her daughter’s arms to enter her savior’s embrace and those of her husband, Don, on Saturday, November 9, 2024.

Kathy, or "Sis" as she was known by many, came into the world the morning of June 7, 1935, above the old Clinton Hotel, which was owned and operated by the Grieco family. When introduced to his new baby sister, Carl told his mother he didn’t want her, and to "put her in an orange crate and frow (sic) her in the river." She was predeceased by her loving husband, Don, in 2011, father Charles, Mother Helen (Royer), brother Carl, and sister Karen (Wilt). She is survived by her daughter, Dr. Kelly McBride, also of Venice, Fla., and her "adopted" family of Deb, Matthew, and Allison Heyrich (Leitch) of Avis. Sis didn’t know it at the time, but as a young child she met her future husband Don on the playground of the old Robb Elementary School. She sat on his new bike, which didn’t go over well, and he made sure she knew that no girl was ever going to sit on his bike ever again! Sis attended Catholic school and graduated from Lock Haven High School where she was a majorette. It was during high school where she once again ran into the little boy from the playground, only this time they fell in love, and she became his high school sweetheart. She continued her education at the former Lock Haven State College, graduating with a B.S. in education.

She and Don married shortly after her graduation, and she obtained her first job with the Jersey Shore School District teaching kindergarten. After the birth of her daughter, Kelly, Sis and Don headed south to Florida, moving to Hollywood where she taught elementary school at Sunshine Elementary in the Broward County School District. She enjoyed going to the beach and spending time with her family, including visits from relatives in Pennsylvania. In 1969, they decided to return to Lock Haven to be closer to family. Sis once again joined the Jersey Shore School District in Avis at both the old and new Avis Elementary Schools. She obtained her master’s in reading at Penn State University and spent many of her 42 years of teaching as a reading specialist. She loved her students, and they loved her back, and she often spoke about how even in her 80’s she wished she could go back to teaching. Upon retirement, she and Don spent many wonderful hours puttering around their home in Jersey Shore. They also loved to travel, particularly cruises, with Aruba and St. Thomas two of their favorites. Don often said that Kathy was always ready to travel or just go for a ride ­ all he had to do was jingle the car keys and she was at the door.

After Don’s death in 2011, she tagged along with Kelly in her travels as she presented scholarly papers at conferences in Belfast, London, Paris, and Hawaii. She enjoyed domestic travel as well, discovering Glacier National Park in Montana, and Yellowstone, where she was scared to get out of the car because she just knew the caldera would decide to blow while she was there. She was finally convinced that a car wouldn’t save her, and hundreds of years later any future archeological excavation would find her still encased in the car. Sis and Kelly decided to return "home" to Florida in 2020, finding the community of Venice on the Gulf Coast to be ideal. She also had enough of shoveling snow and trying to find someone to plow the driveway. She moved to Florida in early 2021 and spent many a day at the beach as well as shopping, going for rides, and playing with Kelly’s cat Mochi. She also loved going out to dinner and made friends with the staff at Ruths’ Chris in Sarasota where they all called her Momma. She was able to cruise a few more times, as well as go to Disney World where she loved the Soarin’ ride in Epcot. She also always managed to hit a casino every now and then to pull the one-armed bandit. Her most talked about experience in Florida was the 10-foot alligator that crossed the front lawn - hissing at her as she sat on her porch. She knew at that point that she wasn’t in Pennsylvania anymore!

Kathy makes her final journey home to Pennsylvania where she will be interred in the Saint Agnes Cemetery next to her husband Don and brother Carl.

There will be no public viewing. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at Holy Spirit Parish (formerly Saint Agnes), Lock Haven at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 14, 2024, where she and Don were married 68 years ago.

While she never won an Oscar, lived in a mansion, or owned an expensive car, her life was rich with the love of her family, students, and life. And as Robin Williams’ character in "What Dreams May Come" said - "A whole human life is just a heartbeat here in Heaven. Then we’ll all be together forever.". She will be profoundly missed by her daughter.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in her name to her two favorite charities - St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital (www.stjude.org), or the ASPCA (www.aspca.org).

Arrangements are entrusted to Frederick B. Welker Funeral Home, Jersey Shore. www.WelkerFuneralHome.com.

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