Kathleen Rose McGinley

She was born on June 18, 1928 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the seventh of ten children born to Genevieve (Dougherty) and Leo McLaughlin. Kathleen grew up in the depression era, but had many fond memories of her family during those times. She always loved being a part of big Irish family.

Kathleen married Geno Bonciolini of Tacoma Washington in 1949, and they resided in Sioux Falls and Brandon, South Dakota during their 24 years of marriage, though spent many long summer vacations in Tacoma visiting his family.

Kathleen and Geno were the proud parents of six children. Geno was a very talented musician and Kathleen sang with him in clubs in the early years of their marriage. They both had a love of music. They lived during one of the nicest times in recent American history, when women were able to be full-time homemakers and raise large families, the last generation to do so. Their life was centered on that, raising their children and enjoying a much simpler and sweeter life then we have today. Their home was filled with music, books, and lively conversations about the world beyond South Dakota and the history of their families. They fostered and encouraged their children to be thinkers who had more questions than answers, and instilled an immense sense of curiosity and wonderment for the world, past, present and future.

Kathleen was sadly widowed at the age of 45, and later married Bernie McGinley, also a widower with seven children. Together they raised their youngest children and enjoyed 15 happy years of marriage before Bernie passed away in 1990. By then they had moved to Austin, Texas, where some of their children had already moved before them.

Though Kathleen worked during the last half of her life at the State Highway Department in Sioux Falls, and at the IRS in Austin, the joy of her life was being a wife and mother, a daughter, a sibling and a good friend. She will be remembered for her strength of character and her strong convictions. She was interested in history and passionate about politics. She was very savy and able to cut through all the blarney to see the truth of things. All who knew her benefited from her good counsel, her intuitiveness and her insightful views on the important matters of life. She will also be remembered for her wonderful sense of humor, her sparkling blue eyes, her red hair, her lilting laugh, her sense of style, and her love for decorating.

So tenacious was her will to live that she fought through many hospitalizations for congestive heart failure in recent years and returned home time and time again, which was amazing to her family and all who provided care.

Kathleen was preceded in death by her first husband, Geno Bonciolini, her second husband, Bernie McGinley; her parents; her siblings Joseph McLaughlin, Lavonne Olsen, Irene McLaughlin, Loretta Hartrich, Jean Hopp, Paul McLaughlin, and Elizabeth McLaughlin; her grandparents; and many other family members.

She is survived by her loving children, Dulcy Ann Hooper and husband Richard of Washington, D.C., Michael Anthony Bonciolini of Ogden, Utah; Lita Marie Bonciolini and husband Thomas Sheehan of San Antonio, Texas; Paul Gene Bonciolini, of Austin, Texas; Diane Kay Bonciolini of Washington, D.C., and Sandra Jo Bonciolini and companion Joe Guzman of San Antonio, Texas; by her grandson Anthony Bonciolini of Austin, Texas, and great granddaugthter Brianna; by her sisters Sally von dem Hagen of San Mateo, California, and Mary Novetzke of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; by her many nephews, nieces, and friends.

Services

A memorial service will be celebrated on Saturday, November 13th, at 2:00 p.m., at Sunset North Funeral Home, 910 North Loop 1604 East, San Antonio, Texas, 78232. Please sign the online guest book at www.sunsetnorthfuneralhome.com

The family extends their thanks to our Mom’s loving caretakers, Maria Hurtado, Cynthia Baker, and Debrah Sayon; to her many devoted doctors, and those who cared for her at Methodist Hospital and LifeCare in San Antonio, especially those in the ICU. Special thanks to Dr. Robert Schnitzler who helped our Mom row her boat to many recoveries. We are very grateful for his dedication and the compassionate care he provided.