Kathleen O'Donnell Ewing

COLUMBIA - Kathleen Sloan O’Donnell Ewing, 71, passed peacefully after a long fight with cancer on May 5, 2015. She was born on December 13, 1943, to Anthony Joseph O’Donnell and Margaret Estill Sloan O’Donnell in Seattle, Washington. The family moved to Miami, Florida, in 1945 and lived on an avocado grove in South Miami with toucans, peacocks and other exotic animals. After graduating from Palmetto Senior High School, Kathy earned her undergraduate and Master’s degrees from the University of Florida where she fell in love with Gator football and her husband of 49 years, David Lewis Ewing. Kathy and Dave met on a blind date to be potential bridge partners. An avid bridge player, Kathy received her Life Master Points by the age of 35 and competed in and won many tournaments with Dave. After living in San Diego and New York City, Kathy and Dave moved to Columbia, South Carolina, where Dave still practices law. A National Board Certified teacher, Kathy taught all levels of math at Richland Northeast High School, including AP Calculus where she had a 100% passing rate. She retired from Richland Northeast after serving as head of the math department and as a faculty advisor to the Model UN team. Kathy’s future plans include haunting her family and friends, dancing without getting tired and helping the Gators win the National Championship in every sport. In addition to her husband David, Kathy is survived by her devoted daughters, Shannon Elizabeth Ewing (Keri Weyl) of Atlanta, Georgia, and Kelly Margaret Ewing of Los Angeles, California; her twin four-year-old grandchildren, Grayson and Audrey Ewing-Weyl; her sisters, Mary Ellen O’Donnell Locurto and Margaret O’Donnell Ryder (Skip), both of Miami, Florida; her sisters-in-law, Janet Ewing Kester, Sonia Escobio O’Donnell, and Gloria O’Donnell Dworet; and dozens of wonderful and caring friends. Kathy was predeceased by her parents and her brother, Anthony Joseph O’Donnell, Jr. There will be a visitation at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, on Saturday, May 9, 2015, from 2-4 p.m. and a memorial in Miami at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you support a cancer research organization of your choice and celebrate Kathy’s life with cocktails and toasts.