Noreen H. Cosgrove

Noreen Hosty Cosgrove, 82, of Manchester, CT passed peacefully from this life on October 20, 2023 after a brief illness. She was the beloved mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend of many. She is survived by her three children Kathryn (Charles) Jones, Michael (Carolynn Grainger) Williams, Maura (William Lewis) Williams, grandchildren Charlotte and Cullan Jones, James and Nellie Lewis, sister Patricia Geoghegan, brother Joseph (Mary) Cosgrove, brother John Cosgrove, as well as many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her beloved sister Theresa Cosgrove, brother Tony Cosgrove and his wife April, brother-in-law Jack Geoghegan, sister-in-law Jackie Cosgrove, niece Noreen Geoghegan, and nephew Glenn Cosgrove. She leaves behind many friends, especially her lifelong friend Marilyn McPhee and later in life friends Debbie Nessing and Patricia Thompson.

Noreen was born on May 24,1941 to Anna and Patrick Cosgrove. The youngest of six children, she spent her childhood in Hartford, CT and was a 1959 graduate of Mount St. Joseph High School. After high school she enrolled in nursing school; upon graduating, she began a decades-long career as a nurse, first caring for newborn babies, later caring for the elderly in nursing homes. She spent the last decade of her career as a nurse in methadone clinics in Manchester and Hartford CT, where she helped countless individuals on their road to recovery.

Despite coming from modest means, Noreen was ever generous and found ways to give back to her family, friends, and community. In her children, she tried to instill the importance of having compassion for all living things, and she modeled that in her long service as a nurse. She was a lifelong Catholic, and her faith was deeply important to her. She found support and companionship in her weekly meetings with friends, and in later years loved playing Mahjong in a weekly group. She loved to cook, making Irish bread every March and for every holiday, and never passed up a chance to make comforting breads or stews for her family.

Above all, she loved her family the most. Her children and grandchildren brought her great joy, and she traveled far and wide to be with them. In her beloved sister Patricia, she had a lifelong best friend and companion. She will be deeply missed by many. A wake will be held on Wednesday, October 25th from 5:00-7:30pm at Holmes-Watkins Funeral Home at 400 Main Street in Manchester, followed by a funeral mass at 10 am on Thursday, October 26th at St. Bridget’s Church at 80 Main Street in Manchester, with burial and a reception to follow. Please meet directly at the church. 

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