14 Facts About Kathleen Byerly

Kathleen Byerly was one of the twelve women named by Time magazine as Time Person of the Year in 1975, representing American women.

In 1977, Byerly was one of six officers who sued the United States Secretary of the Navy and the United States Secretary of Defense over their being restricted from serving on combat aircraft and ships.

Kathleen Byerly Mae Donahue was born in Norfolk, Virginia, on 5 February 1944, the oldest of six children of Joseph Donahue, an Army officer, and his wife Lucille Alessandroni.

Kathleen Byerly had four brothers: Joseph, Paul, Timothy and Matthew, and a sister, Lucia.

Kathleen Byerly attended Trenton Catholic High School while her father was stationed at Fort Dix, but completed her high school education in Germany.

Kathleen Byerly entered Chestnut Hill College, from which she graduated in 1966.

Kathleen Byerly was the first female officer in the Navy to serve as the flag secretary to an admiral commanding an operational staff.

Kathleen Byerly was one of the twelve women named by Time magazine as Time Person of the Year for 1975, and featured on the cover.

Kathleen Byerly headed the admiral's staff, and had the responsibility for dealing with the nine Pacific training commands.

Kathleen Byerly did not get to serve on a warship, but she was eventually promoted to captain.

Kathleen Byerly divorced her first husband and married Bruyere in 1988.

Kathleen Byerly cared for her husband, who had Parkinson's disease, until his death in 2009.

Kathleen Byerly was on the boards of the local chapters of the Parkinson's Association, the Alzheimer's Association, the George G Glenner Center for Memory Care and Caregiver Support, and the Military Officers Association of America.

Kathleen Byerly died from cancer in Paradise Valley Hospital in San Diego on 3 September 2020.