Kathleen Jeanne Swartz

Kathleen Jeanne Swartz, was born March 31, 1954, in Staten Island, New York.  Her mother often teased her about almost being an “April Fool baby.”

Although she moved with her family, Barbara, Bud (Sherwin), and brother Brian to Fort Lauderdale, FL in 1967, her accent never left her.  She was always proud to be a New Yorker. 

She graduated from Cardinal Gibbons High School in 1972 and attended the University of Florida in Gainesville (where we met, became roommates, and got into a fair bit of trouble) from 1972-74, at which time she entered the R.N. program at Jackson Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Miami, FL. 

In fact, Kathy had no plans to become a nurse or anything in particular.  Her mother and grandmother “Nan” urged her to consider nursing as a good profession, one that she could always rely on to make a decent living.  And so, she took their advice and completed the very rigorous program at Jackson Memorial Hospital, graduated in 1979, and immediately began her career at Plantation General Hospital on May 7, 1979.  Her entire professional career was spent serving new mothers and babies at Plantation General until she retired October 15, 2011.   Having kept up her nursing license all those years since, Kathy was an R.N. until her death.

I say “retired” but everyone knows that Kathy never really retired.  Not only did she meticulously attend to the needs of Barbara and Brian, she cared for everyone, family, friends and neighbors alike.  She was the most compassionate person I’d ever met, always putting others’ needs ahead of her own.  She spent time and money on whomever needed it and never knew a stranger.

She, herself, had simple needs and was proud of her frugality.  Kathy was happy with a weekly trip to Ross, where she could spend an entire blissful 10%-off-day wandering the aisles.  Next to Easter, her most favorite holiday was Christmas.  She thoroughly enjoyed decorating her home for each holiday and hosting her family for day-long affairs.  It irked her when her HOA painted all the front doors in the neighborhood an orange color that she despised and could never fit into her personal decorating schemes.

She was deeply devoted to her family and profoundly felt the loss of each of them before her, beginning with her beloved grandfather, Percy, when she was only 5.  Almost every evening was spent in Barbara’s kitchen as her mother’s joy was to feed her children, no matter how adult.  I enjoyed many laughs at that kitchen table.  The Swartz family were all very witty. . .very clever. . .and Kathy’s laugh was great!  She could have a person in hysterics and falling down laughing along with her in no time!

Kathy’s devout faith helped sustain her during dark moments.  She was a proud member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Boca Raton, of which her parents were Charter Members.

She was a remarkable person and her friendship was loyal and steadfast.  It was a blessing when she ultimately found her true love in her friendship with Jerry and was forever grateful to spend her last years with his affection, stating always that she “wouldn’t know what to do without him.”

Kathy was preceded in death by:

Her mother Barbara Swartz, father Sherwin (Bud) Swartz, brother Brian E. Swartz, grandmother Barbara Moore, and grandfather Percy S. Moore

And Survived by:

Sweetheart, Gerard Carras, lovingly referred to as her "husband without the papers." 

Dearest Friend/Sister-in-Law, Iris Lienceres

Dearest Friends/Sisters, Carla Scheiner and Laura Scheiner, Mary Beth Rubin, Sandy Ruh, Judy Ambrose, and Suzie Jackson

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