Putnam Valley Town Clerk Kim McKeown Dies at 57
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Kimberly McKeown, who was elected town clerk in Putnam Valley in November, died Jan. 15. She was 57.
McKeown served 12 years as deputy clerk before winning unopposed to replace Sherry Howard, who was elected to the town board after being town clerk for eight years.
“How do you get your head around the death of someone you worked with for six years and have known for dozens more?” former Putnam Supervisor Sam Oliverio wrote on Facebook. “When I was supervisor, Kim and I would run the gamut with discussions concerning our school district, the town, community politics, taxes and even some neighborly gossip. Opinionated and with strong views on most everything, I loved talking with Kim.”
“As our Deputy Town Clerk, she was the go-to person for tax information and also the town’s recorded history via Town Board minutes,” Oliverio added. “Kim was a super advocate for her children and loved to discuss their school work and their successes. Having lived in our “Valley” for many years, Kim was a real PV person. I am still stunned by the enormity of this passing. Not only to Kim’s family, but to our entire town. I still cannot believe that she is gone. It seems so surreal and disorienting.”
Kathy Diomede was named interim town clerk last week.
McKeown was born Nov. 3, 1966 in Greenwich Village, NY to Vincent and Dolores Kinane.
According to her obituary, she “was a woman of undeniable wit, weaving humor into the fabric of her daily life and bringing joy to all those around her. Even in challenging times, she was a beacon of light and a source of strength for her loved ones.”
“A devoted mother, cherished wife, beloved sister, and daughter, Kim’s life was a tapestry woven with compassion, intellectual fervor, and unwavering wit.”
McKeown is survived by her husband, Terence, and their children, Terence, Jr., Michael and Kelly; her father; siblings Ellen Scozzafava, Mariann Kinane, Vincent Kinane, Michael Kinane and Christoper Kinane; and many loved nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her mother and son Ryan.
“We have all lost a great friend who truly embodied the love and caring of family and community that is so special and priceless in today’s world,” Oliverio stated.
Putnam Valley offices were closed Friday for McKeown’s funeral services at Church of the Holy Spirit in Cortlandt.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
