November 5, 1952 – April 3, 2026
Kathleen Marie “Kathy” Hyson, age 73, of Salamanca, NY, passed away at the Salamanca Rehabilitation and Nursing Center Friday morning, April 3, 2026.
Born November 5, 1952, in Buffalo, she was the daughter of the late Walter Sr. and Mary Ellen Needham Milanowski. She was formally married to Russell Hyson.
She was a graduate of Salamanca High School, Class of 1970.
Kathy never shied away from hard work. At a young age, she started her employment picking strawberries for Pease’s Farm, waitressing at the former Dudley Hotel and the Pyramid, McHone’s Industries, was a social work secretary, worked in the Medical Records and financial department of the Salamanca Nursing facility, bartended for the local Veteran’s of Foreign Wars John F. Ahrens Post, and worked for over 25 years for Ellis Tax services. In addition to her clerical duties, Kathy also assisted many people with college and veteran forms.
No time of day or day of week was bad timing to her, if you had a question, Kathy would respond to emails and text messages even while sitting in the ER or as a patient at the hospital. She wouldn’t deny anyone anything, even if it was her last dollar.
Compassionate is only one of many words to describe Kathy. She was the person one could always find helping anyone in need, or supporting various groups and activities, especially her nieces and nephews and their numerous fundraisers. She was most proud to help her eldest brother Tom’s fundraiser for the Homeless Veterans Projects.
She was dedicated to her two sons’ sports teams; you could always see her running the sideline chains and providing oranges to each football player during halftime. There wasn’t a bake sale that hadn’t had the pleasure of her baked goods, even as recent as this past fall.
She was passionate about the time she spent with family and friends, and enjoyed all family events, especially her son’s annual themed party in July, in Friendship, NY.
An avid Buffalo Bills fan, she had often attended games with her boys and collected numerous memorabilia. No matter the distance between her and her sons, she loved to watch Jeopardy every night with them, and competing who can come up with the Final Answer.
She was always grateful to those who went out of their way, especially Deacon Mike Anderson, to help her in stressful times, such as her surgeries and house fire (in which she lost everything). Kathy will forever be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and if you were her friend, you had a loyal person for life. She was never judgmental, only seeing the good.
She was a member of Our Lady of Peace Parish, Our Lady of Peace Alter and Rosary Society, and was a life member of the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars John F. Ahrens Post 5296 Auxiliary.
Surviving are: two sons, Stephen Hyson, Dover, NH, Matthew (Jackie) Hyson, Friendship, NY; four grandchildren, Madelyn, Magnolia, Margaret, and Ben Hyson, all of Friendship, NY; three sisters, Elizabeth Yuhas, Salamanca, NY, Ellen (Dana) Story, Susan (William) LaBuhn, both of Great Valley, NY, two brothers, Thomas (Suzanne Moore) Milanowski, Stanley (Darlene) Milanowski, both of Salamanca, NY; two sisters-in-law, Judy Lefford, Gail (Jim) Hostuttler, three brothers-in-law, Steve (Denise) Hyson, Tim Hyson, Paul Hyson, several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and -nephews, special high school friend, Kathy Little Bradley, and a list miles long of friends.
Besides her parents, Kathy was predeceased by a brother, Wally Milanowski Jr., a brother-in-law Barry Uhas, three nieces, AnnMarie Milanowski, Sonja Hodara, and Michelle Hodara, and two loved grand-pups, Sam and Lucas.
A memorial visitation will be held in the O’Rourke & O’Rourke Inc Funeral Home on Saturday, April 11, 2026 from 11:30am to 1pm, at which time memorial services will be held with Deacon Michael Anderson officiating.
A celebration of life will take place in Friendship, NY on July 25th.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Homeless Veterans Project, c/o Tom Milanowski, 26 Chestnut St. #216, Salamanca, NY 14779.
