“Remembering Kathleen, Whose Life Was
Love”[i]
there could be no better phrase to describe her!
 |
| Kathleen (on left) Graduation from St Joseph Academy |
Kathleen Frances Connery was born 10
April 1895 in Chicago. She was the second child and the second daughter born to
Michael Connery and Alice Fleming. She was baptized on 14 April 1895 at St
Columkille Parish by Fr Thomas Burke and her godparents were James L and Mary
Purcell.[ii]
Kathleen undoubtedly followed her
sister Mary to St Joseph Academy since her home parish, St Mel, didn’t
establish an elementary school until 1906[iii]
and Mary had already attended St Joseph Academy. That their Uncle, Father
Michael Fleming was the school chaplain added to the feeling of security of the
girls.
Kathleen graduated from St Joseph in
June of 1916 and went to work in her father’s Real Estate office as a
stenographer.[iv]
Kathleen would remain working for her
family’s business until her retirement. She moved from stenographer to
bookkeeper and ultimately to travel agent as the company grew and expanded.
As a travel agent, Kathleen often
sailed to Europe with frequent trips to London, Rome, and of course visits to
her Irish cousins in Limerick. The spoils of these trips were lovingly given to
her nieces and nephews.
While on trips to England, Kathleen
would purchase complete sets of fine china. These were shipped back to Chicago
where she would store them in anticipation of an upcoming niece’s engagement
when said niece would be allowed to select her favorite of the available
patterns.
 |
| Private audience with Pope Pius XII, Kathleen and her mother front row nuns in rear are Sisters Michael Joseph and Marie Camilla, OP |
Trips to Rome included an audience
with the Pope, one trip with her mother and sisters included Archbishop Sheil for a private audience with Pope Pius XII.
Sometime in the 1940s her brother
Jack bought a summer cottage in Long Beach, Indiana, just outside of Michigan
City. Jack named the cottage the Lazy Jane much to the embarrassment of his
wife Jane. Eventually Jack sold the cottage to Kathleen who changed the name to "Lady Jane" and kept it for the use
of the family. The cottage was rented for the month of July to cover the
expense of taxes and general upkeep but for the rest of the year it was for the
use of family members. My family went there for the last two weeks of August
every summer. As a senior in high school
I could use the cottage for a weekend party with classmates. We were chaperoned
of course!
Kathleen was a very complicated
person. Full of love for her family, she became the caretaker of her parents as
they aged. She also became the family “fixer” at times. If there was a problem
she would work to find the solution. She arranged travel for the family as well
as her office clients. Although she didn’t become the nun her sisters did,
Kathleen did join the Third Order of St Francis. Her devotion to her faith
preceded her devotion to her family but one never conflicted with the other.
After she retired from the office,
Kathleen moved to Florida where she continued her caretaker duties nursing her
sister Sister Michael Joseph before Sister returned to the Healthcare Center in Adrian. Later
Kathleen would try to help another sister Betty return to health.
In her efforts to help others,
Kathleen always had to do just one more thing. As a result Kathleen was almost always
late to everything, to the extent that when my mother invited her to dinner,
Kathleen was told that dinner would be at 4pm when it was really planned for
6pm. Among the family it was often said that she “would be late for her own
funeral.” And she was!
Kathleen Francis Connery died on 12
August 1986 in a nursing home in West Palm Beach, Florida. Her memorial mass
was held at Regina Dominican High School in Wilmette, IL on September 6, 1986[v].
Since she was cremated in Florida, her cremains were shipped to Illinois for
burial. We were about a third of the way through the mass when her brother Jack
entered the chapel carrying a container which he proceeded to place on the
altar. She was well and truly late to
her own funeral!
Kathleen is buried in the family plot
at Mount Carmel Cemetery in Hillside, IL.
Kathleen you were well loved!
[i]
Title of Memorial Booklet designed by her niece Peggy Ann Ryan.
[ii] Illinois,
Chicago Catholic Church Records 1833-1925, "FamilySearch.org,"
database with images, familysearch
(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVMN-RNYY : online 4 December 2016),
Birth and Baptism of Kathleen Connery; Family History Library film # 4332302
page 442.
[iv]
US Federal Census: Year: 1920; Census Place: Chicago Ward 35, Cook (Chicago),
Illinois; Roll: T625_356; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 2230
[v] Chicago
Tribune () , obit for KATHLEEN CONNERY, GenealogyBank.com
(https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/obituaries/obit/0F750BADE678CD05 : accessed
15 April 2018)
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