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Surfside Beach Kathleen Anne McCooey Turek Kathleen Anne McCooey Turek, 76, beloved wife of Charles Edward and mother of Janice, Cynthia, Susan, and Sheila, died at home in Surfside Beach, South Carolina, following a lengthy illness, surrounded by her loving husband and daughters. A fighter to the very end, she taught her family and everyone who knew her what it means to be strong, compassionate, and fiercely loyal. She did not go gently into that good night, but battled to spend as many moments as possible with her loved ones. Our time with her was still far too short, and we will miss her every day. She was the glue that joined our family together and we felt her powerful love for all of us every moment. She was born March 30, 1935, in Watertown, New York. She met her husband Ed in Fontainebleau, France, and they explored the world together, living in Okinawa, Germany, and various cities in the U.S. with their family, and retired to their dream home on the ocean. Kathleen is survived by her husband of 55 years, Ed, who cared for her with infinite reserves of love and tenderness until her final days; her daughters Janice Turek Seifert, Susan Turek Cavanaugh, and Sheila Turek; her grandchildren Mandi and Matt Cavanaugh; her sister Sheila McCooey George, and her brothers Pat (Lora) and Jack McCooey, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Vincent and Margaret McCooey, and her daughter Cynthia. We will greatly miss her smile that filled the room with sunshine, her beautiful Irish blue eyes, her rapier wit, her razor-sharp intellect, her whimsical sense of humor, adventurous spirit, style, and compassion, her spectacular meals, her love of music and travel, and her unwavering, passionate devotion to her family and friends. She did not live her life halfway but with full conviction and energy in all she did. She gave life not just to her daughters but to everyone she knew. Through her example, her daughters learned to be independent in their deeds, passionate in their convictions, and respectful in their relationships. She personified class and elegance, preserving that grace even in the most excruciating moments of her illness. We love you and miss you, Mom and Kathleen, and we will keep you in our hearts every day. A funeral mass will be held 11:00 AM, Friday, September, 30, 2011 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Alexandria, VA with interment in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. The family will receive friends 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Thursday, September 29, 2011 at Everly-Wheatley Funeral Home in Alexandria, VA. Those wishing may make memorial donations to Tidelands Hospice, 2591 N. Fraser St, Georgetown, SC 29440. Sign a guestbook at www.goldfinchfuneralhome.com/obituaries Goldfinch Funeral Home, Beach Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.

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Kathleen Turek

March 30, 1935 - September 23, 2011