Kathleen Connell McShane

Kathleen Ann Connell McShane passed away very peacefully on November 26th, 2025 at the age of 69. Her loving husband Shawn was holding her hand, and gently stroking her cheek, as she took her last breaths and escaped straight to Heaven.

Kathleen was born at St Joseph Hospital in Houston Texas on June 11th, 1956, the only daughter of Robert Emmett Connell, Jr. and Ann Laughlin Connell. She is predeceased by her parents, and her parents-in-law Paul R. McShane, Sr. and Marion Irene Duffin McShane.

Kathleen attended Holy Ghost Catholic School (where she met her future husband in the 2nd grade), and St Francis de Sales Catholic School. And in 1974 she graduated from St. Agnes Academy where her mother had graduated from in 1951. Kathleen then matriculated to THE University of Texas in Austin for two years, before graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX in December 1978. It was during these college years that she began courting an Irish gentleman named Shawn O’Donnell McShane.

In January 1979, Kathleen began her fabulous 40-year career in Nursing at St. Luke Hospital in the Texas Medical Center in Houston. She later moved across the street to the Methodist Hospital as a manager specializing in cardiac care!!

In June of 1980, Kathleen (reluctantly?) agreed to take a vacation to Cozumel, Mexico with Shawn, who was traveling down from Portland, OR. They returned one week later and informed both sets of parents that they were now engaged to be married.

On June 20th, 1981, Kathleen and Shawn entered into Holy Matrimony at their parish St. Francis de Sales. They then enjoyed their biggest boat ride of their life on the S.S. Norway, cruising to St. Thomas and St. John. The happy newlyweds then moved to Austin where Shawn pursued an MBA degree, and Kathleen worked at Ascension Seton Medical Center.

In August 1983, Kathleen and Shawn returned to their hometown of Houston. Shawn continued his career at the KPMG accounting firm. Kathleen continued her career in the Texas Medical Center. In August 1984 they purchased their first home aptly named a Brick House.

Kathleen gave birth to her first son Brian Shawn McShane at 2:30am on Sunday May 8th, 1988 (Mothers Day) at the Methodist Hospital where she worked. The three of them were interviewed at the hospital that morning, and then featured on the local news that evening. Eight weeks later the three McShane’s moved up to Portland, OR when the KPMG firm transferred Shawn.

Kathleen continued her Nursing career at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. Based on her substantial management experience, Kathleen was hired as Assistant Director of Nursing. She worked the night shift and was the House Supervisor for many years. Her fellow nurses adored Kathleen anyway, but especially for standing up for them, and to management and the bean counters. On March 25, 1991, Kathleen gave birth to Patrick Robert at 8:30am at St Vincent Hospital.

After many years in management, Kathleen eventually stepped down and invested all of her time and efforts into caring for new mothers and helping them breastfeed. She became a International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and spent the remainder of her working career in this field and speaking at lactation conferences. And helping moms, new babies, fellow nurses and doctors “figure it out”. In 2013, Kathleen was recruited to work as an IBCLC at the brand new Kaiser Permanente Westside Medical Center where she ended her career in 2019. It is an understatement to say that Kathleen McShane was passionate about her work, and that she was absolutely adored and revered by her patients, fellow nurses, and doctors.

For several years, Kathleen then enjoyed her retirement years as she and Shawn travelled to Washington, California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and the Oregon coast, and back “home” to Kansas and Texas. Kathleen thoroughly enjoyed her trips to Las Vegas, Scottsdale, Seattle, Palm Springs and fourteen National parks. She especially treasured her last several trips to Houston and Austin, and Port Aransas, TX to visit her soul sister Phyllis Robertson (“Dr. Phyl”).

Kathleen spent the last two years of her life living in the world’s best Adult Foster Care Home being very well-loved by angels from Ethiopia and Romania. And finally, in her last month, being covered up with care and compassion by the world’s best hospice agency.

Kathleen is survived by her husband of almost 45 years, Shawn, and their sons Brian and Patrick; by Brian’s wife Taylor and granddaughters Kennedy Mae and Audrey Elizabeth; by her brothers Robert (Bob), Thomas (Tom), and Michael (Mike) and their wives; by many cousins in Texas, New York, and Cincinnati; and by dozens of adoring brothers/sisters-in-laws and nephews and nieces.

A Memorial Mass and Celebration of Life will be held in early spring 2026 in Portland. And then Shawn will carry Kathleen’s remains down to Houston where she will be buried next to her folks Ann and “Cottie”.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed in Kathleen Connell’s name to St Agnes Academy (Class of 1974) in Houston Texas.