Kathleen (Garner) O'Connell

Kathleen "Kathy" Garner O'Connell died at her home in King on Monday, October 7, 2025, at the age of 82.

Kathy was born on March 30, 1943, in King to Austin and Jessie Garner. After her childhood on the family tobacco farm, she left King for nursing school at UNC Chapel Hill, where she graduated in 1965.

She served as a nurse in the Navy, stationed at Chelsea Naval Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. While in the Navy, she met her future husband, James "Jim" O'Connell, who was a Navy corpsman. She completed her Navy service and married Jim in 1969. After briefly living in Philadelphia, she returned to King to the family home. She gave birth to her one child, Patrick O'Connell, in 1971.  She then began a 36-year nursing career at Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, where she worked in the neonatal intensive care unit until her retirement in 2008.  Her retirement was prompted by the arrival of grandchildren, whom she loved dearly and whose photos nearly overtook the walls of her home.

An experienced nurse and well-liked mentor, Kathy was perhaps best known for her always-positive attitude; if she had a motto, it would be “turn a negative into a positive.”  Her generosity was also both abundant and hidden from the sight of others.  The most common phrase used to describe her is "Kathy is a special lady!" 

She is survived by her son and four grandchildren.

Despite adhering to the norm throughout her life to avoid discussing politics and religion, in the final weeks of her life, she spoke plainly of God and of joining Him in Heaven.

A memorial service will be held at King Moravian Church on November 1st at 2 pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to King Outreach Ministry, which Kathy supported for many years.  

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