Kathleen Walter Hart

Kathleen Walter Hart, wife of the late William E Hart, MD, passed away on March 30th, 2016, in Hartford with her family by her side. Kathleen was born at home at 27 King Street, Meriden on November 10, 1926, the second child of Victor and Dorothy (Carey) Walter. She attended Meriden public schools, including “good old” Lincoln Junior High. Three days after graduating from Meriden High School in 1944, she entered St Joseph College in West Hartford for an intensive 4+ year nursing program, graduating in 1948 with a BS and RN. She spent a year at Georgetown Hospital in Washington, DC, and then returned to Connecticut. She met her husband, Bill, at McCook Hospital in Hartford and they married in 1951. Shortly thereafter, Bill left to serve in the Korean War, returning to Hartford in 1953. Bill completed his internship in Cleveland, where their first two children were born. They returned to Hartford in 1955, and had five more children. In the 1960’s, Kathleen was active in Saint Justin Church, the Blue Hills Civic Association and the anti-war movement. In the early 1970’s, Kathleen returned to school in the new field of nurse practitioner. She worked as a pediatric nurse practitioner at Community Health Services in Hartford for many years, including a few years at Martin Luther King, Jr School. After CHS, Kathleen worked as school nurse at Kinsella School. After retiring, she continued to volunteer in the school system as a 2nd grade helper at Burns School. Kathleen and Bill moved to West Hartford in 1985 and after his death in 2003 she moved to Farmington and then Hartford. Kathleen enjoyed gardening and being outdoors. She was an avid swimmer and walker, and especially enjoyed West Hill Lake and Block Island. She cherished her time with St. Joseph alumnae and fellow nurses Jean Conway, Dot Hayes and the late Betty Ayers. Kathleen leaves her seven children: Marcy Esler and her husband Grant, Patti Poole and her husband Malcolm, Stephen Hart, Eleanor Hart, Claudia Hart, Andy Hart and Rachel Hart and her partner Dana Cervone; nine grandchildren: Dan Esler, Emily Leyro, Stephen Elser, Greg Esler, Bridget Esler, Charles Brodeur, Madeleine Brodeur, Rory Hart, Devin Hart; and one great-grandchild, Janelle Esler; She also leaves brothers- and sisters-in-law: Marjorie Conley, Elaine and Bill Burke, Mary Hart, and several nieces and nephews. Kathleen was predeceased by her brother and sister-in-law, Jack and LaVerne Walter and brothers-in-law, Lou Hart and Leo Conley. The family would like to thank the staff at Avery Heights for their care and compassion and for treating Kathleen like family. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday (April 4th) at 10:00 a.m. at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 872 Farmington Ave., West Hartford. Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery, West Hartford. Calling hours are Sunday (April 3rd) from 3:00-6:00 p.m. at the Molloy Funeral Home, 906 Farmington Ave., West Hartford. Online expressions of sympathy may be made at www.molloyfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, donations made be made in Kathleen’s memory to Saint Justin Church, 230 Blue Hills Avenue, Hartford, CT 06112 or St. Agnes Home, 104 Mayflower Street, West Hartford, CT 06110, or a charity of the donor’s choice.

Kathleen Walter Hart

March 30, 2016