Catherine T. ("Kay") O'Connor's Obituary
Catherine T. “Kay” (Garvey) O’Connor, 90, passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 7, 2018 at St. Ann’s Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Dover, NH. Kay was born in Lawrence and lived there for eighty years until moving to Dover, New Hampshire to be closer to her family.
Kay graduated from St. Laurence O’Toole Grammar School and St. Mary’s High School. She earned her Registered Nurse degree from St. Johns Nursing School in Lowell, MA. Kay started her nursing career at the McGovern Nursing Home and the Bessie M. Burke Hospital. She practiced nursing for many years at the Lawrence General Hospital as a medical nurse on L3 South. Kay also worked at the Lawrence Public Health Department and then completed her nursing career with the Lawrence School System as the School Nurse at several elementary schools. After her retirement, she worked part-time for Elder Services as a receptionist. She had a strong work ethic throughout her life.
Kay was the proud mother of three children, all of whom earned degrees from Augustinian Schools. She enjoyed traveling, reading, shopping and helping others. Twice she flew to Saudi Arabia to visit with her granddaughters and took numerous trips to Toronto, Charlotte, Portland, Seville and Green Bay to visit her grandsons. Her greatest pleasure in later life was spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Kay was predeceased by her husband John E. O’Connor and is survived by her children, John and his wife Jane of Dover, NH, Kathleen O’Connor of Souderton, PA, and Mary and her husband Paul Simmons of Savage, MN. She is survived by her siblings, Carol Harding and Patricia Garvey of Hampton, NH and Richard and Maryann Garvey of New Smyrna Beach, FL, sisters-in-law Rita and Sr. Elizabeth O’Connor of Lawrence, MA, as well as many nieces and nephews. Kay was predeceased in death by her parents Delia and Michael Garvey and her siblings Mary Casey and James Garvey. Kay also leaves behind her beloved grandchildren, Meaghan and her husband Jordan Feiner, Lauren and her husband Mark Fitzgibbon, Ryan and his wife Holly Simmons and Conor Simmons. Kay was blessed to have meet her two great grandchildren Kate and Josephine. Kay was a wonderful, loving woman and will be missed by all.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, October 12, 2018 at 9:00 A.M. in St. Lucy’s Church, 254 Merrimack St., Methuen, MA. Burial will follow in the Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Lawrence, MA. Relatives and friends are invited to call on Thursday, October 11, 2018 from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. at the John Breen Memorial Funeral Home, Inc., 122 Amesbury St., Lawrence, MA. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Kay’s memory to the Sisters of Notre Dame, 30 Jeffreys Neck Rd., Ipswich, MA, 01938. To send an online condolence or for more information, please go to www.breenfuneralhome.com.
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