Kathleen Anne (O'Shea) Sacco

Kathleen Anne O’Shea Sacco, 86, of Swannanoa, passed away April 26, 2017 at the Oaks of Sweeten Creek in Arden.

Kathleen O’Shea Sacco was born in County Kerry Ireland in the town of Caherciveen to the late Timothy O’Shea and Katherine Rose Carey O’Shea on February 9, 1931. She was the youngest of three children, with an older brother, Michael who passed away unexpectedly in 1978, and sister, Rose O’Shea who has also preceded her in death.

Kathleen’s childhood in Ireland was met with tragedy when her mother died when Kathleen was a child. Around the age of 16, Kathleen was sent to hospital where she was successfully treated for tuberculosis. During her treatment, however, her father died and she was told the news only after she was released from the hospital.

In 1953 at the age of 22, Kathleen joined her brother, Michael, and her Aunt Mary Cary in the United States. She first took a boat to Canada and then a train to New York. She lived with her brother, who then worked for New York Railroad (now Metro-North Railroad) in Katonah, NY, and then moved to New York City, living in Washington Heights and working as a bookkeeper. It was here she met and fell in love with Edward John Sacco from Danbury, CT. Their first date was at the Cloister in Fort Tyron Park in New York City. They were married in 1963 in St. Joseph’s Church in Washington Heights. The newlyweds moved to Danbury where Edward worked toward his teaching degree, and Kathleen helped and supported him by working at Matt’s Lumber.

In 1967 Edward took a job offer to teach in the San Diego City Schools in California and the couple drove across country in a corvette. That same year, in December, their first and only child, Stephen Matthew Sacco, was born.

The family lived in San Diego and then moved to Chula Vista. After raising their child, Kathleen returned to school earning a Bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science in 1984 and a Master’s of Arts in Counselling Psychology in 1988, both from the National University of San Diego. She then earned her license as a marriage, family, and child counsellor from the state of California. She worked as a crisis counselor for the homeless in downtown San Diego for New Vista, and counseled unwed mothers for the Salvation Army.

In 1996, Edward and Kathleen retired to Swannanoa, NC in the mountains outside of Asheville. Kathleen volunteered for the hospice center, and then for the Women’s Prison in Swannanoa. She was presented with a certificate of appreciation from the North Carolina Department of Corrections for her many years of service to the prison.

Kathleen fulfilled her life through her tolerance, understanding and sensitivity to family, friends, acquaintances, and even strangers.

Survivors include her husband, Edward J. Sacco of the home, and their son, Stephen Sacco, of Scotland.

A memorial service will be held Friday, May 5 at 10:30 AM at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 102 Andrew Pl., Swannanoa, NC 28778 with Father Matthew Leonard officiating.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Four Seasons Hospice, 571 South Allen Rd., Flat Rock, NC 28731.

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