Gilda M. Kenney

Gilda M. Kenney

November 9, 1939 – August 1, 2025

Gilda “Jill” Maria Kenney, 85, of Holbrook, New York, passed away peacefully following her prolonged health challenges with congestive heart disease.

Jill was born on Thursday November 9, 1939, at Wyckoff Hospital in Brooklyn to Bruno and Marina DeVuono, proud Italian immigrants, and the last addition to the family that included her cherished sisters Ida, Anna, and Edda, and brother Gino. Jill was the only one in her family to be born in America and was lovingly referred to as the ‘little American’ in Italian by her parents. She often shared nostalgic stories of life in Brooklyn that often seemed like an Italian ‘Norman Rockwell.

Jill attended Shallow Junior High School and Bay Ridge High School where she made lifelong friendships and developed her natural singing voice that would entertain us all for the rest of her life. After she graduated, she worked in New York City for a half dozen years, saving money and then spending a good amount of it for unforgettable trips to Europe with her girlfriends.

In the summer of 1963, she met the love of her life, Edward Patrick Kenney, at a Knights of Columbus dance in Brooklyn – a memorable story that she was retelling with joy and love up until this week. The two fell in love and were married on April 12, 1964, at St. Rosalia in Brooklyn. In February 1965, their daughter Donna came into the world followed by their son Ed ‘Eddie’ in April 1966. Mom said last week that raising her family was one of the greatest joys of her life.

Mom was a proud homemaker who knew how to make a house into a home, creating warm memories for her family throughout the years. A pro at short-hand dictation, she also served as a per-diem secretary for local public schools when her children were in their teens.

Jill spent 10 years with the Sweet Adelines Choral Group with the Brooklyn chapter and was with them when they performed live for TV at the Brooklyn Bridge for the 100th anniversary of its construction. Five years later she was one of the singers who won the Sweet Adelines best small chorus award in 1988.

After both retiring and moving from Brooklyn, Jill and Ed relocated their home to a rural part of Sussex New Jersey enjoying the ‘Green Acres’ phase of their life together for 10+ years. Subsequently, they moved to Long Island NY, to Holbrook, living in driving distance to daughter Donna and husband Larry, and enjoying grandkids, Corinne, Mariel and Daniel. Son Ed married Nicole and had their sons, Aidan and Liam, who further added to Jill’s enjoyment as a proud grandmother.

Jill greatly missed her husband Ed when he passed. She would often say, ‘When you had the best, who needs the rest?”, focusing her life on her loving family and wonderful friends throughout her life including her group from Holbrook.

Jill is remembered for being a truly kindhearted person with an ability to connect with people and develop friendships wherever she goes. Smiling, laughing, sharing, listening, caring – she was a special human being. As one observer said of her: “They don’t make them like that anymore”