Katelyn M. Riley of Saugus, formerly of Melrose died on Friday, September 21, 2012. In her 22 years on this earth, she gave to others so much more than she took. She truly had a heart of gold! Her generosity, kindness and concern for those less fortunate was evident even as a young child, always bringing homemade presents and pictures to family gatherings. Her artistic and creative abilities were outstanding and she loved making beautiful things and giving them to the people she loved.
Kate loved the simple things in life; nature, her pets, fishing, hunting, the great outdoors and her precious boy, Calvin. She struggled mightily to overcome her mental illness and so desperately wanted to be "normal". Kate fought long and hard with everything within her power to defeat it and she was incredibly strong in the face of the pain she was dealing with on a daily basis, but it took its toll on her mentally and physically until, in her own words, she was "lost in the fog" of mental illness from which, unfortunately, she was never able to emerge.
Kate would want everyone to know how much she wanted to, again in her own words, "stomp out the stigma" attached to mental illness, which can be as deadly as any cancer. If she were still with us, you can be sure she would be an advocate for all those who suffer silently with the stigma of mental illness. Katelyn was the cherished daughter of Edward P. & Maureen T. (O'Brien) Riley of Saugus, loving sister of Douglas & Patrick Riley, also of Saugus. Loving mother of Calvin Robinson & Dearest friend of Mark Robinson of Gardner. Beloved granddaughter of Mary O'Brien, Niece of Robert A. O'Brien & his wife Corinne, James P. O'Brien & his wife Janet, Patricia E. Hughes & her husband Daniel, Timothy M. O'Brien & Christine Cohane, Regina Sarkozy & her husband Larry, Jane Riley & the late William J. O'Brien & his wife Julie. Special Goddaughter of Gail Sullivan of Melrose. Also survived by many cousins.
Funeral from the Gately Funeral Home 79 W. Foster St., Melrose on Sat. Sept. 29th at 10AM. Funeral Mass will be celebrated in Incarnation Church 429 Upham St. Melrose at 11AM. Relatives & friends respectfully invited. Visiting hours Fri. 4-8PM. Interment in Wyoming Cemetery, Melrose. Arrangements by The Gately Funeral Home of Melrose. Memorial contributions in Katelyn's memory may be made to NAMI/Cambridge (National Alliance on Mental Illness) 174 Appleton St., Cambridge, MA 02138 or the Katelyn M. Rilet Memorial Fund for Calvin Robinson c/o Eastern Bank 25 Melrose St., Melrose, MA 02176. For directions, flowers or to sign Katelyn's guest book, please visit www.gatelyfh.com