Catherine May "Kitty" Straub, 76, of 132 Grandview Road, St. Marys, died on Thursday, August 11, 2016 at Elk Haven Nursing Home after a long and courageous battle with ALS.

She was born on February 11, 1940, in New York City, NY, a daughter of the late Harry and Genevieve Swanson Conroy.

On September 9, 1961 in Queen of the World Church, she married Richard Straub, who survives.

Kitty graduated from St. Marys Area High School.  She was a member of Queen of the World Church and was also a member of the Rosary Altar Society.
In her younger days, she worked for her dad at "The Coffee Nook" in Ridgway.  She also worked at Stackpole Carbon and sold 'Bee Line' and 'Queensway' women's clothing.  Her real passion was books, both reading and writing them.  She wrote more than 45 books, including children's, fiction, and non-fiction.  She also loved to travel every chance she got, and enjoyed going out to dinner or a night of dancing with her husband and their friends.

In addition to her husband of nearly 55 years, Richard Straub, she is survived by four children, Kevin Straub and his wife Betty of Byrnedale, Debi Kunes and her husband Jim of Mahaffey, Pam O'Connor and her husband Jim of Williamsburg, VA, and Rick Straub and his wife Antoinette of St. Marys, by eleven grandchildren, Nathaniel and Ian Straub, Samantha and Amanda Kunes, Stephanie McClosky, Sara, Lydia, Hope and Ben O'Connor, Jacob Straub and Damien Palumbo and by three great-grandchildren Raylee Kunes, Silas McClosky and Alex Vanetten.

She is also survived by three sisters, Carol (Jack) Burnett of Blairsville, Patty Russell of West Seneca, NY, Janet (Glenn) Resch of St. Marys, by a brother, Vincent Conroy of Punxsutawney, two sisters-in-law, Mary Lee Bankovic and Kathryn Straub, and by a brother-in-law, Gary Smith.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Sharon Straub, a brother, Harold Conroy, a brother-in-law, Frank X. Straub, a sister-in-law, Gretchen Straub Smith and by a granddaughter, Savannah Straub.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Catherine C. Straub will be celebrated on Monday, August 15, 2016, at 9:30 AM at Queen of the World Church, 134 Queens Road, St. Marys, PA 15857 with Fr. Paul Taylor, officiating.
Interment will follow in St. Marys Catholic Cemetery.

Visitation will be held at the Lynch-Green Funeral Home on Sunday, August 14, 2016 from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM.

Memorial Contributions may be made to Community Nurses Hospice, 757 Johnsonburg Road, Suite 200, St. Marys, PA 15857 or to Elk Haven Nursing Home, 785 Johnsonburg Road, St. Marys, PA 15857.

Lynch-Green Funeral Home, 151 N. Michael St., St. Marys, is handling the arrangements and online condolences may be made to the family at www.lynchgreenfuneralhome.com