Kathleen Forrest Connors, 75, died peacefully on Sept. 13, 2020, at her Wellfleet home, surrounded by family and friends.
Born in Bridgeport, Conn., in 1945, she was the eldest daughter among eight children of Jim and Marion Forrest. She was raised in Stoneham and spent summers on Long Pond in Wellfleet.
Kathy graduated from Catherine Labore Nursing School in 1964 and earned her master’s degree in nursing from Northeastern University in 1982. She was the charge nurse in the Levine Cardiac Unit at Boston’s Peter Bent Brigham Hospital for many years. She continued in cardiac research at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and spent several years in electrophysiology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, before becoming a nursing instructor at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. She retired to Wellfleet in 2000.
Kathy, who was “Nana” to her grandchildren, lived a full life and died as she lived, on her own terms. Family and friends felt her unending love at all times, but never expected too much sentiment. A no-nonsense ICU nurse, she was true to her convictions and delivered the unvarnished truth.
This redhead, who was so much fun to be around, lived up to the high expectations that she held for herself. In the end, Kathy just got tired after many years of managing chronic
diabetes, and she let go. She is sorely missed by her extended family and community.
She leaves her husband, John; their sons, Sean, of Foxboro, and Gregory, of Chatham; and daughter, Jennifer, of Chatham; as well as five grandchildren: Sean, Rebecca, Emily, John, and Rory.
She treasured and is survived by siblings MaryEllen Dion of Lebanon, N.H., Jane Franke of Wellfleet, Deborah Hopkins of Eastham, and Kevin Forrest of Babb, Mont. She was predeceased by her brothers James Forrest of Monteverde, Costa Rica, and Tim Forrest of Boston, and her sister Susan Johnson of Wellfleet.
Due to the pandemic, there will be a private family graveside service and a future
celebration of her life, once the horizons are clear.
For online condolences visit nickersonfunerals.com.
