Kathleen J. Lang passed away with her family at her side on Feb. 5 in Sarasota, Fla. at the age of 92. She was born Feb. 10, 1927 in the Bronx, NY to Michael and Eileen O’Hara.
She graduated from Walton High School and attended Merchants and Bankers Business School in New York in addition to studying at Fordham and New York University. Kathleen moved her family to Old Greenwich, CT and received her Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education from Norwalk Community College. Kathleen was employed as Executive Assistant to the Comptroller of the Town of Greenwich and worked for the Town for over 23 years. She served on the Retirement board for four years. Kathleen was a strong believer in volunteer service. Some of her activities included working as a staff aide for the Red Cross in NY, tutoring children at Hamilton Avenue School in Greenwich, working at Covenant House Shelter in Stamford and volunteering at Kids in Crisis in Cos Cob.
She had unwavering faith in God and was a member of Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in Greenwich where she was a Eucharistic Minister, lector and a member of Saint Mary’s Guild. Kathleen was an active member of the Senior Center in Greenwich where she had many friends. She moved to Sarasota in 2018 and became a member of Saint Thomas More Catholic Church.
Kathleen was a devoted mother and grandmother and will be deeply missed by her daughters, Eileen Edwards (Old Greenwich), Suzanne Perry van Rijssen (Riverside) and her husband, Hendrik van Rijssen. She is survived by her grandchildren, Jennifer Kelley, Erin Pierce, Michael Perry III, Courtney Edwards, Meaghan Perry and eight great-grandchildren.
A Funeral Mass will be held for Kathleen, Feb. 27 at 10 a.m. at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in Greenwich. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Raise the Bar Foundation, P.O. Box 10774, Stamford, CT 06901.
