Margaret (Mihalich) Kennedy, 75, of East Haven passed away on Aug. 16. She was born on July 6, 1947 in New Haven to John and Marguerite (Kirk) Mihalich.

Margaret is survived by her three loving children, Matthew Kennedy (Beth) of Clinton, Gregory Kennedy of Killingworth, and Anjuli Bodyk (Dale) of Beacon Falls; along with five grandchildren, Annalise Kennedy, Marin Kennedy, and Grey Kennedy, and Lilia Bodyk and Henry Bodyk. She is also survived by her three sisters, Susan Bond (Jim) of Hamden, Nancy Walsh of Branford, and Cynthia Mihalich of Ansonia. Margaret was preceded in death by her parents and former husband, Philip T. Kennedy.

She was introduced to the New Haven Register at age six by her dad and would continue to read it cover to cover daily throughout her life, eventually becoming a voracious reader of everything she could get her hands on. Upon retiring from a 40-plus year nursing career in hospitals, medical offices, a correctional facility, nursing homes, and visiting nursing, “Maggie” found great joy through meaningful connections and wonderful conversations with fellow coworkers and countless customers at the East Haven Stop and Shop (where she had first worked as a teenager), and later at the East Haven Senior Center and in her tight-knit, supportive neighborhood.

She was a devoted member of the AA community for 31 years where she found peace and serenity before her illness, and a longtime advocate of the East Haven Animal Shelter volunteering her time, visiting the animals, and often adopting furry family members. She passed on her love and fascination with the world and its diverse people and natural wonders, especially backyard gardening and birding, and perhaps most of all, the ocean, through memorable trips to the West Haven beach, Provincetown, Cape Cod, and Hammonasset State Park.

Family will receive friends to celebrate the life of Maggie from 4 p.m. until the time of service at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9, 2022, in the Clancy-Palumbo Funeral Home (Clancy Funeral Home), 43 Kirkham Ave., East Haven. Burial will be at a later date in East Lawn Cemetery, East Haven. Donations may be made to the East Haven Animal Shelter, 183 Commerce Street, East Haven, CT 06512 in memory of Margaret Kennedy, and to Alzheimer’s research.