Mrs. Katherine E Connell

OBITUARY Katherine “Kay” Connell, 96, formerly of Sacramento, died on Monday, April 17, 2017 in Paradise, California, where she had been residing the last two years. She was born Katherine Edna Charles on June 21, 1920 in Bridgewater, Iowa to Elmer B. and Nelle E. (Slocum) Charles. At a very young age she moved with her parents to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where she grew up. After graduation from Abraham Lincoln High School, Katherine had to turn down a college scholarship and go to work to help her family. Once her brother, Norman “Bud” Charles graduated high school and took over family support, Katherine set off to visit her fiancé, Charles “Chuck” Connell, who had started working for the Associated Press in New York City. They eloped to Montreal where they married in August of 1941. After living for about a year in New York City, they were transferred to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Daughter Mary Katherine was born there before the A.P. transferred Chuck again (to Omaha, Nebraska) and the young family moved back to Council Bluffs (across the Missouri River from Omaha). Kay gave birth to sons James Edward and Douglas Dean during the seven years that they lived there. She loved to sing in the choir at Broadway Methodist Church, and she sang in operettas with Council Bluffs Civic Music, Inc. In 1950 the family moved to San Francisco, California (another transfer) – quite a change from Iowa. Son Steven David was born in 1953, and Kay was very devoted to raising and nurturing her four children. She was also very active at her church, Trinity Methodist, and worked part-time after her youngest son was in school. In 1968 Chuck was transferred to Sacramento, so he, Kay and son Steve moved there. (Mary and Jim were both married by then and living in San Francisco, and Doug was attending U.C. Berkeley.) After they were settled on T Street in Sacramento and Steve was in high school, Kay went to work as a secretary for the State of California, working until retirement in 1985. She was also a very active member of Faith United Methodist Church, especially singing in the choir and serving as a leader in United Methodist Women. Sadly, all three of her sons passed away during her 47 years in Sacramento. After her husband’s death, Kay traveled extensively, visiting 48 of our 50 states and other countries, including Tahiti. Some of her trips involved Dixieland Jazz – her favorite music next to religious music -- and she regularly attended the big Dixieland Jazz Festival in Sacramento. In 2013 she moved into assisted living in Sacramento and two years later in Paradise, California, where daughter Mary lives. Kay is survived by daughter and son-in-law Mary & Gary Shallenberger of Paradise; grandchildren Kevin (Theresa) Shallenberger of Reno NV, Nathan Connell and Kirsten (Bill) Clancy of Sacramento, Darrin Connell and Cheryl (Steve) Conley of Rohnert Park CA, and Irene (Marc) Fish of Inverness CA; step-grandchildren Kim (Steve) Wiezorek of Yuba City CA, Angela Borowski of Sacramento, and Scott (Christine) Sanders of Brookings OR; daughters-in-law Dorothy J. Connell of Petaluma CA and Dorothy M. Connell of Sacramento; sister-in-law Mary Charles of Council Bluffs; nieces Sue (Barry) Hansen of Lakewood CA, Virginia (Mike) Charles of Union City CA and Janice (Roger) Shepard of Creston IA; nephews Larry (Rose Marie) Connell of Albuquerque NM and Randy Connell of Salt Lake City UT; and by 20 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, her brother, two sisters who died in childhood, and her three sons. A “Celebration of Life” service for Katherine E. Connell will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, May 6, 2017 at Faith United Methodist Church, 36th & J in Sacramento. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to United Methodist Women, in care of Faith UMC; or to Paradise Hospice House, 1289 Bille Road, Paradise CA 95969; or to the Balboa Alumni Memorial Scholarship Fund, PO Box 31866, San Francisco CA 94131 for the Douglas Connell Engineering Scholarship.