Kathleen Jude Premo Manion  HUDSON – (February 1, 1940  – July 19, 2013) Kathleen (Premo) Manion, or "Kathy" as she was known to her family and friends,  passed away peacefully on Friday, July 19 ^th in Hudson. Raised in Springfield, with summers at Giants Neck Beach, CT, Kathy graduated Sacred Heart High School in 1958, and Bay Path Junior College in Longmeadow in 1960. She was a former communicant of Holy Name Catholic Church in Springfield. Kathy worked as a flight attendant for American Airlines, and then worked for many years in the advertising industry, in Springfield and Boston. In 1976, she married Joseph Manion. Her life with Joe took her to many places all over the world. They resided in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Texas, before settling back in Massachusetts.

Kathy was an artist. She enjoyed painting immensely. Her paintings were both beautiful, and truly original. There really was nothing else like them. She delighted in showing her paintings to her relatives, and explaining the paintings, and the hidden meanings in each one.

Kathy loved animals. Her St. Bernard "Sue Ellen" and much smaller "Ellie Mae" were the subjects of much of her work, including scarves, stationary, and paintings. When she lived in Hong Kong, Kathy devoted countless hours volunteering with The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Besides her paintings, Kathy's sense of humor was also one-of-a-kind. Kathy's sisters would love receiving letters from her, and often couldn't get through the letter without bursting into laughter. Kathy delighted in "holding court" with visitors to her home.

Just like her paintings, Kathy was one-of-a-kind. She will be missed. In honor of Kathy, take a moment today, and appreciate the beauty all around you.

She was predeceased by her husband, Joseph Manion, her parents, Lester J. and Mary (Connolly) Premo, her brother, Lester J. Premo, Jr., and her sisters, Connie Premo, Mimi Premo Fleming, and Patricia Premo. She is survived by her daughter-in-law Jane Comeau and her husband Gerry of Ashland, MA, her favorite sister-in-law, Ellen Premo of Dunwoody, GA, her nieces & nephews, including  Kate Shrum and her husband Randy of Marietta, GA, Terry Premo of Marietta, GA and Elizabeth (Bess) Craymer and her husband Jon of Dunwoody, GA, Susan Baker and her husband Rick of Longmeadow, MA, Tony Fleming and his wife Dr. Judith Dean of Chicago, IL, E.J. Fleming and his wife Barbara of Somers, CT, Mary Hayes Bachmann of Los Angeles, CA, Nick Fleming and his wife Diane of Westborough, MA; her cousin Christine (Lavallee) Johnston of Centerville, MA, and her many grand-nieces & nephews. Services will be private. Memorial contributions in Kathy's memory may be made to the Angell Memorial Animal Hospital, 350 South Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02130.