Betty Veronica (Higgins) MCCOOL

MCCOOL, CORCORAN, HIGGINS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/9/2014 at 16:02:09

August 2, 1920 --- February 3, 2014

WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn. — Betty Veronica "Kitty" McCool, 93, of White Bear Lake, Minn., died Monday, Feb. 3, 2014. Kitty was a longtime resident of Clarion, Iowa, where she raised her family along with Robert McCool, her husband of 56 years and a medical doctor in Clarion for many years.

Kitty is survived by her five sons, Patrick (Kathy); Terrence (Cathy); Thomas (Lynette); Michael (Diane); and Daniel (Diane); along with seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and many friends and relatives. Born in rural Schuyler, the daughter of John E. and Cora (Corcoran) Higgins, Kitty attended Creighton University and graduated from St. Louis University. She was also the recipient of a one-year fellowship in biochemistry at Johns Hopkins University. Kitty worked for several years as a laboratory technician at Community Memorial Hospital in Clarion prior to becoming a full-time homemaker. She resumed using her lab skills when she worked for several years alongside Robert as a medical missionary in the Caribbean; as well as when assisting Robert in providing medical services for Native American communities in the western United States.

Kitty's interests included volunteer work, gardening, sewing and membership in St. Rita's Circle and in sewing groups at St. John's Catholic Church in Clarion. Music meant so much to Kitty, be it playing the piano and organ or giving piano lessons in her home to children. She felt honored to be asked to play for special events such as weddings and for services at St. John's. She absolutely cherished the years when she served as an organist at both the Catholic Church and United Presbyterian Church in Clarion.

Kitty loved her husband, her family, her church and her community. She drew great comfort in knowing that for her all roads led back to Clarion and Wright County. In accordance with her wishes, the body was cremated. Inurnment will be next to Robert at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis. A celebration of Kitty's life will be held at a later date. Washburn-McReavy Funeral Chapel in Coon Rapids, Minn., is handling arrangements. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the St. John's Catholic Church building fund in Kitty's name.

Schuyler Sun - Schuyler, Nebraska
February 6, 2014