Obituary of Kathleen M. Roon
Loving wife, mother, friend
Kathleen Agnes McGeehin Roon of Boonton Township, NJ passed away on August 19, 2021 at home surrounded by her family. She was 53 years young.
Born in Denville to John and Nora (Duffy) McGeehin, Kathleen graduated from Morris Catholic High School where she was a cheerleader and member of the “fun bunch”! She went on to attend The University of Rhode Island where she was a loyal member of the Delta Zeta sorority. After college, she excelled at different careers. She was a real estate agent for Coldwell Banker, a substitute and para professional in the Boonton School District. Most recently, she was a sales representative for Delta Dental in Parsippany.
Kathleen met her husband, John Roon, at Johnnies Tavern in Boonton, NJ. They married on May 27, 1995. Once they started their family, she gave 110% to being a mom. She had a tough exterior but loved and protected her boys fiercely. If you sat with her on the sidelines, you could hear her yelling one of the following, “stop complaining, toughen up, be tough, you’re not hurt, get out there.” Kathleen coached her sons’ soccer teams, ran lacrosse tournaments at RFL like a BOSS, made sure she was there as class mom and team mom for all of their sports teams – and there were many. She loved HERD football, ML soccer, ML wrestling, and Laker baseball. She was strong, stubborn and “tough as nails.” These qualities served her well in her battle against cancer.
Kathleen was loyal. She had an infectious smile, a witty personality and a trademark cackle. She was proud of her Irish heritage. She loved the beach, especially Long Beach Island and Nantucket. She was a huge fan of Lilly Pulitzer clothing, anything pink, Burberry, bright colored nails and jewelry. Kathleen was a master cook. She was famous for her “salty meat”, Thanksgiving turkey, corned beef, buffalo chicken dip, and always enjoyed a cold Coors Light. She was an avid Yankee fan and loved any music by Pearl Jam and U2. She cherished being surrounded by her family and close circle of friends. It is THAT circle that carried her and John through her illness. This small, close knit community had a great impact on the Roon family on every level. They rallied to keep the “princess warrior” safe through Covid by food shopping and providing meals. They visited her, laughed with her, and drove her to appointments. In addition, they created calming environments for her until the end.
Predeceased by her parents Jack and Nora, Kathleen is survived by her beloved husband, John; her cherished sons, Christopher and Kevin; her adored labs, Cutter and Slider; her sister, Maureen; and many devoted friends.
Visitation will be held on Monday, August 23rd from 4 to 7 pm at Codey & Mackey Funeral Home of Boonton. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on August 24th at 10:30 am at St. Catherine of Siena R.C. Church, Mountain Lakes. Burial will follow at Saint Mary’s Cemetery in Boonton.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to either support the boys’ college education or to support the Lustgarten Foundation (lustgarten.org). Checks can be made payable to Christopher Roon to benefit both boys. Checks should be mailed to 5 Janet Road, Boonton Township, NJ 07005 or directly to the Lustgarten Foundation in memory of Kathleen Roon.