Kathleene Marie Sweeney

Kathleene Marie Carroll Sweeney, beloved wife, mother and grandmother, passed away peacefully Monday, April 2, 2012. She was a resident of St. Joseph’s Christus Community in Coppell, Texas. Kathleene (Kay) was born on April 17, 1926 in Fairfield, Connecticut, the youngest of four children, to Catherine and Richard Carroll. She was the first in her family to attend college, receiving her Bachelor’s of Science from St. Joseph’s University in Hartford, Connecticut in biology. After college she went to work as a biologist for the pharmaceutical firm of McKesson and Robbins. She met John Vincent (Vin) Sweeney on a blind date while he was working for General Electric in Fairfield. Six months later, September 6, 1952, they were married. After the birth of two sons, Frank and Paul, they were transferred to Dallas, Texas in 1955. Dallas did not have, as was rumored in New England, Indians or gunfights, but there were droughts and tornadoes and construction everywhere. In Dallas, five more children were born, Kathleene, Eileen, John, Mary Ann and Margaret, seven children in all, born in a span of only eight years. She called the family “industrial gypsies” for the moves they made as Vincent’s career with General Electric progressed, from Texas to Kentucky, then to Connecticut, back to Dallas and finally to Atlanta. Vin and Kay retired to the beautiful island of Kiawah, South Carolina in 1985 where they made good friends, hosted their children and grandchildren to many happy beach vacations, and were committed members of Holy Spirit Parish on John’s Island. Kathleene sang in the choir, attended daily mass, and was a tireless volunteer at the Mission Outreach program, serving the poor residents and migrant workers of John’s Island. Kathleene organized the used clothing donations, helped keep medical records at the free clinic, and made beautiful baby baskets for expectant mothers who completed their pre-natal care at the clinic. The lovely baskets were full of the things they would need for their newborns, arranged with great love and care by Kathleene. She loved her work with Sister Amelia and the other wonderful nuns. Kathleene was a gourmet cook, whipping up cheese soufflé, popovers, homemade bread, and cookies, cakes and pies aplenty. She played the organ and was a talented seamstress and knitted beautiful sweaters and custom Christmas socks for many extended and honorary family members. She kept a sparkling, warm home, welcoming many friends and neighbors and hordes of her children’s friends. All the children were on swimming and diving teams and she never missed a meet, spending weekends in the car and sitting in the bleachers. She was an “A” level tennis player, known as “Mighty Mouse,” until a hip replacement took her off the court, though she continued her long bike rides on Kiawah beach for many years after her surgery. She played as a leftie, a trait she passed on to five of her seven children. She had a song and a saying for everything; her life was accompanied by the music she loved so much. She cared for her husband, Vincent, during his illness the last couple of years of his life; he passed away in 2006 and she moved to Dallas to be nearer to family in 2010. Kathleene was given great care by the nurses and therapists at Woodridge Rehabilitation and Nursing in Grapevine in the last weeks of her life. She is survived by six of her seven children, Francis Joseph Sweeney, Paul Augustine Sweeney, Kathleene Mary Stevenson, Eileen Carroll Sweeney, John Vincent Sweeney and Mary Ann Sweeney, sons-in-law Rodney Stevenson and Ira Kronitz, daughters-in-law Paula Fisette Sweeney and Kay Sweeney. She was the proud grandmother of eight: Paul’s children, Anna Kathleene and Mary Elizabeth Sweeney, Kathleene’s children, Sam and Paul Stevenson, Eileen’s children, Mariel and Eliana Kronitz, and Mary Ann’s children, James and Carroll McCann. She is also survived by her sister, Patricia Semosky of Fairfield, Connecticut. She joins her husband, Vincent, daughter, Margaret, and siblings, Genevieve Kirik and Richard Carroll, in loving union with God.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the charity where Kathleene volunteered for many years, Our Lady of Mercy Mission Outreach, St. John's Island, South Carolina (www.olmoutreach.org)