Kathleen Joan (McCarthy) McGoldrick

Kathleen Joan McGoldrick (McCarthy), Mother, Grand Mother, Great Grand Mother, Teacher, Friend, Confidant, and all around wonderful woman, passed away in her Bluffton, SC home on March 12, 2021 at 5:15 PM peacefully with her son by her side.  She is survived by her children: John T. McGoldrick & Joann Kemper, Kevin M. & Sharon McGoldrick, Brian J. & Maria McGoldrick, Peter G. & Mary Catherine McGoldrick, nephew Danny and & Kim McCarthy, grandsons: Conor McGoldrick, Ryan McGoldrick, Michael & Courtney McGoldrick, and  Kyle & Brittany McGoldrick, Great-Grandchildren: Jacey McGoldrick, Owen McGoldrick, Josalynn McGoldrick.  Grand Nieces: Kaleigh McCarthy and Quinn McCarthy.  Proceeded in death by her brother and sister-in-law Danny and Carol McCarthy and Great-Grandson Jason McGoldrick.

Kathleen was originally from Astoria, NY graduating from Bishop McDonnell Memorial High School in 1956 where she attended on scholarship.  She then attended Hunter College in New York later receiving her degree in education from Wichita State University.  She was proudest of her work at Family Circle magazine in New York City and time at St. Joseph Elementary in Mt. Hope, Kansas.  At St. Joe, she touched hundreds of lives as an assistant overseeing the Title One Program and later in her tenure as teacher of 5th and 6th combined classrooms, as well as 7th & 8th math and science. She instilled in her students a passion to play chess from a book that her son John T. had learned from. Even though all of her own sons could defeat her, the students she taught went on to compete at the state level.  She taught the students on the newest Apple 2e computers as they became available to the school, a leg up in such a rural community.  She fed her students breakfast on test days so that they would perform their best.  She also served as the leader of the Scholars Bowl.  She defended her school to the county school board to keep the doors open.  All of her students went on to High School to graduate with honors in addition to being in one or more after school activities.

Kathleen raised four sons to be as strong and independent as she was.  All of them became self-sufficient cooks at an early age however; laundry came a little easier to some.  Her boys were all proud to be her son, having a strong role model to look up to all their life.

Kathleen traveled the world, and all on a well budgeted teacher’s salary.  Domestically she visited her sons often, in Oregon, Colorado, Kansas, Maryland as well as her brother Danny and his family in New York.  She was always up for anything with her family, from camping to sailing.  Additionally her local travels brought her to Hawaii, Alaska, Myrtle Beach, Sanibel Island, the Grand Canyon, Mt. Rushmore, and many more.

Kathleen’s first big trip abroad was to her Mother’s homeland in Scilly, Kinsale Ireland. From there the fire was lit and she traveled the world to St. Thomas, St. Martin, Tahiti, Aruba, Caribbean cruises (too many to mention), Panama Canal, Nova Scotia, Italy (Rome), Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Russia, Poland, Germany, France, China, England, Scotland, Wales, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, and dozens of cruises. She ended her travels one continent short, skipping Antarctica; she always stated there was just no reason to go somewhere so cold! 

She is on her final journey.

May your joys be as deep as the oceans

Your troubles as light as the foam

And may you ever find sweet peace of mind

Wherever you roam

There will be a small family memorial service in May of 2021.

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