Kathleen Ann McCarthy, 49, originally of Lockport, NY, died unexpectedly at the home of her sister in Norwich, NY. Kathleen was born June 21, 1961, at Lockport Memorial Hospital to Carol Connor McCarthy and Daniel Douglas McCarthy. She attended Washington Hunt Elementary and Emmet Belknap before graduating as valedictorian of the Lockport Senior High School Class of 1979. Throughout her school career she was very active as a member of the Lockport High School Band and in both school and community drama, playing a variety of roles, including director. She was also a dancer with both the Esther Wallace and Dyan Mulvey dance studios and was very involved in youth activities at St John the Baptist Church. In 1978 she spent the summer in Indonesia as an American Field Service exchange student.

Kathleen graduated with honors from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio in 1983, with bachelor's degrees in Education and East Asian Studies. After teaching for two years in Japan, she returned to Lockport and worked at Orleans-Niagara BOCES in both gifted and talented education and staff development. She then moved to Pittsburgh, PA, where she completed a PhD in Cognitive Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. In 1994 she joined the Solana Beach Presbyterian Church, participating in a range of outreach programs including Kids Games, Come Build Hope, the UCSD International Student Outreach, and the Chancel Choir. In Pittsburgh, Kathleen had attained the position of Resident Fellow at the Institute for Learning, in which capacity she continued to work in a wide range of large school districts across the country to ensure rigorous learning and appropriate training for entire districts, from superintendents to classroom teachers and aides. She is a published educational researcher and presented at numerous national and international educational conferences throughout her years as a fellow.

Kathleen is survived by her mother Carol Connor McCarthy, her brother and sister-in-law Daniel and Francine McCarthy, her nephew Jerry Harris and his wife Marne and their children Rachel and Andrew, all of Lockport, and her nephew Matt Harris and his son Joey, of North Carolina; her sister Maureen (McCarthy) Bartlett, Maureen's husband Andrew Bartlett, and their three children Lyle, Tristan, and Elliot, all of Norwich, NY, with whom Kathleen was living at the time of her death. She was pre-deceased by her father D Douglas McCarthy. Her loss is mourned by the many, many family, friends, and colleagues who had the great fortune of experiencing and being touched by her ebullience and great love.

Calling hours will be at the Prudden & Kandt Funeral Home, 242 Genesee St, Lockport on Friday, May 6, from 3 - 7 PM. Funeral services will be at St John the Baptist Catholic Church, 168 Chestnut Street in Lockport on Saturday, May 7 at 11 AM. In lieu of flowers, donations will be accepted to the Lockport Public Library, 23 East Ave., Lockport, NY 14094 or Solana Beach Presbyterian Church, Mission Fund, 120 Stevens Ave., Solana Beach, CA 92075. Please visit www.pruddenandkandt.com.

Visitation

Calling hours will be at the Prudden & Kandt Funeral Home, 242 Genesee St, Lockport on Friday, May 6, from 3 - 7 PM.

Services

Funeral services will be at St John the Baptist Catholic Church, 168 Chestnut Street in Lockport on Saturday, May 7 at 11 AM