Dec. 30, 1940 – Aug. 14, 2024
Kathy Ann McKennan, 83, of Sunnyvale passed away on August 14, 2024 in Palo Alto, CA after a long illness. Kathy is survived by her son Sean and grandson Maxwell, her daughter-in-law Joelle (Blanton) McKennan, sister Abigail (Holbrook) Munro and brother-in-law Michael Munro and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, Katharine (Carlson) and Earl Holbrook, brothers Peter and Jonathan and sister Mary. Plus numerous family members.
Kathy was born in Waterbury, Connecticut on December 30, 1940 and spent her early years there with her older brother Peter. Since Kathy and Peter were less than a year apart they were often mistaken for twins and quickly learned how to use it to their advantage, often convincing others they were twins. Together they kept their parents on the go.
At the age of nine her parents moved the family to Arizona. Once settled her parents blessed Kathy and Peter with three more siblings, Mary, Jonathan and Abigail. Kathy loved the wide-open space of Arizona. There, she blossomed and thrived in her role of big sister. She and Peter spent most of their daylight hours playing outside, hiking, swimming, riding horses and exploring the great outdoors.
It was in Arizona where Kathy honed her skills with a yoyo. She put practice, practice, practice, to the test and it paid off. She participated in many yoyo competitions and often took home the blue ribbon. She was the envy of her classmates.
When she was fourteen her parents divorced and her mother thought California was the place they oughta be, so she loaded up the family and moved to the Bay Area. First to East Palo Alto where they spent several years and then later settling in Palo Alto.
Kathy attended Menlo Atherton High School in Menlo Park. After graduation she explored many options for employment and it was during one of her jobs as a nursing assistant she decided she wanted to go into nursing. In the mid sixties she entered the nursing program at Foothill College and graduated with her nursing degree.
After receiving her nursing license a world of opportunities opened for Kathy. She spent several years working at a variety of hospitals until she settled at Stanford Hospital. As a nurse at Stanford she was instrumental in unionizing Stanford Nurses. Her hard work was rewarded with the formation of SEIU Local 715 in the early 1980s. She was also an active member and supporter of CRONA, (Committee For Recognition of Nursing Achievement), which is a collective bargaining agent for nurses at Stanford to negotiate new contracts, improve wages and ensure safe working conditions for workers. It was Kathy’s core belief that all nurses and hospital employees should be treated fairly. Kathy was a respected employee and after 50 remarkable years at Stanford Hospital she retired and entered a new phase of her life.
In addition to her work at Stanford, Kathy went back to school and received her BS in Political Science from San Jose State. She enjoyed politics and often volunteered managing and supporting local candidates and causes.
During her free time Kathy relished reading and was a voracious reader. She loved to share her latest literary discovery with others. She also enjoyed running and participated in many Bay Area fun runs. Her most enjoyable activities in her retirement were traveling and spending time with friends and family. She traveled far and wide from Africa to China and beyond. She loved to share stories of her travels and often returned with special gifts for friends and family.
One of Kathy’s proudest achievements in life was her forty-five years of sobriety. She was an active participant in Alcoholics Anonymous and often sponsored those seeking sobriety. As a member of AA she was supportive, helpful and friendly.
Kathy was known for her quick wit and sharp sense of humor. She was generous with her time and a supportive, dependable friend. She will be missed by those who knew and loved her as well as those whose lives she touched.
Please join us in celebrating Kathy’s life on Saturday, November 9th at 1:00 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, 3149 Waverley St., Palo Alto. In lieu of flowers please make donations to a charity of your choice. If you are an AA member you can donate to Alcoholics Anonymous.
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