Obituary of Myra T. Herlihy
Myra Tate Herlihy
1930-2023
Myra Tate Herlihy, 92, of Geneseo, NY passed away this week in hospice at Suzanne's Comfort Care Home in Perry, NY. Myra was born in 1930 to William Tate, an engineer with Consolidated Edison and Florence (Kahn) Tate a public school teacher. She was raised in the Ridgewood neighborhood of Queens in New York City. She graduated with honors and was selected into Phi Beta Kappa while at Hunter College and went on to receive a graduate degree from Columbia University. While at Columbia she met and married her true love and life partner, John Herlihy. In their 48 years of marriage and partnership, they raised 3 sons, traveled the world, taught together in high schools and college, collaborated on grants, and wrote a textbook. Their living illustration of love and respect for each other set the example that their sons continue in the marriages with their loving wives and families.
Myra was predeceased by her husband, Dr. John G. Herlihy in 2002, and is survived by her brother Gerard W. Tate of Ridgewood, NY. Together Myra and John, lived in several locations before settling into Geneseo in 1973. They were most proud of the family - their three sons, Dr. Alan and Linda (Jolley) Herlihy of Corvallis, Oregon, Dr. Kenneth and Dawn (Lebitski) Herlihy of Geneseo, New York, and Thomas and Ellen (Lahey) Herlihy of Geneseo, New York. Their grandchildren; Alison Herlihy, Kristin (Herlihy) and her husband Ross DeNovellis, Meghan Herlihy, Dr. Conor Herlihy, Kevin Herlihy, and Kathleen (Herlihy) and her husband Bryan Deibel and one great grandchild Owen Deibel. She was predeceased by granddaughter Brigid Herlihy.
Myra was a true scholar, a lifelong learner and voracious reader of history and literature. Her love of books and travel aided her in her main professional passion -- teaching. She taught in numerous schools and classes ranging from 2nd grade through college instruction. Teaching was a vocational calling for her and a source of joy and satisfaction throughout her life. She loved acquiring and sharing knowledge, whether it was in a formal classroom setting, within her various civic clubs, or as the family and many a teenage guest to her home can attest - at the dinner table. She formed many friendships amongst her colleagues and students that went beyond the several years she taught Social Studies at Geneseo Central School.
Myra was proud to have been selected to serve as a Deacon, and was an active member of the Central Presbyterian Church in Geneseo, NY.
The family asks that donations be made in her name to a charity of your choice in lieu of flowers. Suggested organizations include the Livingston County Historical Society, 30 Center Street, Geneseo, NY 14454, Suzanne's Comfort Care, 167 N. Main Street, Perry, NY 14530, and the Wadsworth Library, 24 Center Street, Geneseo, NY 14454.
Calling hours will be from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM on Thursday October 12, 2023 at Rector Hicks Funeral Home in Geneseo, NY. The family encourages people to leave a remembrance on the Funeral Home's website https://rector-hicksfuneralhome.com/.
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on October 13, 2023 in the Central Presbyterian Church with burial immediately following in St Mary's Cemetery, Geneseo.