Lillian Anne Loughlin

Lillian Anne (O'Hara) Loughlin departed this Earth on January 4th 2017 at the age of 91. She was the fifth of eight children born to Irish immigrants Thomas and Brigid (Regan) O'Hara on September 27th 1925 in New York City. Lillian's father died when she was only 5 years old and although she always claimed to have grown up in the lean times of the depression, all photographic evidence of the period depicts her cavorting on the beach with various acquaintances and beaux. Lillian graduated from Cathedral Prep High School and Hunter College. She met her husband Gene while attending graduate school at Fordham University, where she caught him admiring her from behind a newspaper. Both were smitten. The fledgling romance was interrupted when Gene was reactivated by the U.S. Army for the Korean Conflict. While he was overseas, Lillian was diagnosed with tuberculosis and found herself confined to a sanatorium in Saranac Lake, New York (where she looked equally gorgeous perched upon rocks in photographs of the time). Gene corresponded during the war while fighting off the Chinese and tracked her down somehow upon return stateside, and the rest, as they say, is history.


After marrying in 1955, Lillian and Gene relocated to Kingston where they settled in to raise a family on Wurts Street downtown (it wasn't fashionable to say Rondout then). The blessings of a happy marriage arrived early and often, and Lillian and family relocated to more spacious accommodations in bucolic Esopus in 1965, after number 8 of 12 was born. Lillian proved herself to be an amazing mother and an attentive wife. She dedicated herself entirely to her family, and was renowned for her ability to feed an unplanned for crowd with limited resources (see John 6: 1-15). Her children and their friends arrived home from school daily to a fresh-baked pie or cake, and her stew and pot roasts were legendary. She also had an uncanny ability to cook customized portions of a meal (demarcated by strips of recycled foil) for particularly finicky family members within the whole of a dish, ensuring everyone was pleased. Dinner guests were always welcome. As she was never observed to sit down to eat a meal personally, it was never entirely clear to her family how she sustained herself nutritionally. She took immense pride in doing the entire family's laundry long after it became (or should have become) embarrassing for everyone except Lillian. Despite the demands of her domestic life she was ever beautiful, stylish and ebullient. Lillian was uncommonly well read, a master of the NYT Sunday crossword, a shameless extrovert and an accomplished mimic specializing in Eastern European accents. She once broke her wrist falling off a pogo stick, and research has confirmed that she is the only known mother of 12 to have ever accomplished that feat.


Lillian was deeply committed to her Roman Catholic faith and raised her children to place that first in their lives as well. She was absolutely committed to the defense of the unborn, and put her convictions into action. She was a founding member in Ulster Country Birthright and active in various Right-to-Life causes. She was especially proud of the injuries she received from a physical assault at the hands of the West Hartford Police Force during a particularly feisty protest.



After Gene's death in 1999, Lillian continued an active and happy life in the constant company of her family. She was especially grateful to her son Francis for his care and companionship for many years and most recently her daughter Mary and family for their committed care.


Predeceased by husband Gene, oldest son Vincent and six siblings, Lillian is survived by her loving sister Teresa (Caffrey); daughters Mary (Dan) Cruser and Laura (Terence) Murphy, and sons Eugene "Tuffy" (Cindy), Thomas (Vicky), Patrick (Ellen), Matthew (Erin), John "Gus" (Mary Jo), Francis X, Paul, Peter (Mimi) and baby Leo (Julie) and devoted daughter-in-law Patricia. She also leaves behind 39 grandchildren. 6 great-grandchildren and innumerable nieces and nephews.


Entrusted to the care of Keyser Funeral & Cremation Service, 216 Broadway, Port Ewen where friends and family may visit on Friday January 6th from 4pm to 8pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12:30pm on Saturday January 7th at Sacred Heart RC Church, 1055 Broadway, Esopus, NY, 12429. Burial will follow in St. Peter's Cemetery, Rosendale. The family suggests in lieu of flowers memorial contributions be made to, Birthright of Ulster County, 6 Adams Street, Kingston, NY 12401.