Kathleen Toner Dunphy, 90, of Kearny, New Jersey and Long Beach Township, New Jersey, passed away peacefully at home in Kearny, on October 16, 2025. Relatives and friends are invited to join on Monday at 10:00 a.m. at the Armitage Wiggins funeral Home 596 Belgrove Drive, Kearny. Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. in Queen of Peace Church and burial will follow at Holy Cross cemetery.
Kathleen was born in Newark, to Irish immigrants Katherine and Francis Toner, and was raised in Kearny. In addition to her parents, she was also pre-deceased by her beloved husband, John. P. “Jack” Dunphy, Jr., originally of Harrison, NJ, their daughter Jaqueline “Jackie” Dunphy Howell, of Kearny, and her six siblings, Betty Doris of Nutley, NJ, Buddy Toner of Orange, TX, Peggy Northrop of Norwalk, CT, Bert Toner of Kearny, Jackie Challenger of Miami, FL and Adrienne Elalouf, also of Miami.
Kathleen is survived by five of her six children, Maryrose “Roey” (Ron) Hine, Kathleen “Kitty” (Charlie) Kolarsick, Patrick (Ginny) Dunphy, Brendan (Beverly) Dunphy and Terence (Jennifer) Dunphy.
She is also survived by seven granddaughters, Caitlin, Kelly, Tara, Morgan, Alana, Maggie and Molly, two grandsons, Aidan and Liam, four great-grandchildren, Katherine, Meghan, Colin and Riley, and many nephews and nieces.
Kathleen will be remembered for her sense of humor, for her strong love of family and for her wide circle of friends. She formed many lifelong, close friendships from her time at St. Cecilia’s High School in Kearny, to Long Beach Island and beyond. She also served as past President and Board Member of the Hudson County Area Vocational-Technical Schools.
In lieu of flowers kindly consider a donation to Noreen’s Angel Fund, an annual scholarship fund that honors the amazing legacies of Noreen Silvers, Jackie Dunphy Howell and Bryan Granelli, at https://www.noreensangelfund.com/, or to a charity of your choosing in Kathleen’s memory.