KATHLEEN (SEVERS, BALLUE) McCONNELL

Kathleen Fern McConnell, one of six children of Gerald and Fern (Morris) Severs, was born November 11, 1945 at Peru, Nebraska. Kathleen grew up in southeast Nebraska, attending school at Peru, Nemaha, and Brownville, before graduating from Peru Normal in 1964.

On December 10, 1965, Kathleen was united in marriage to Henry Ballue at Hiawatha, Kansas. Kathleen welcomed Henry’s children as her own and they would be blessed with two daughters and two sons: Mary, Tracy, Ronald, and Scott. The couple would later divorce. On September 13, 2003, Kathleen married Robert McConnell at Alma, Nebraska.

Throughout her life, Kathleen held various jobs, she worked at the Danny Dare Clothing Factory, Campbell Soup Company, but spent most of her life as a nursing assistant for various nursing homes. In her spare time, Kathleen loved to go fishing. She was an avid gardener and enjoyed watching her birds that came to her bird feeders. She loved to read and was a very hands-on person.

On Monday, June 15, 2020, Kathleen passed away at her home, surrounded by family, having reached the age of 74 years, 6 months, 28 days. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Robert, and an infant brother.

Survivors include her daughters and son-in-law Mary and Mark Banka of Talmage, Tracy Ballue of Auburn; sons and daughter-in-law Ronald and DeAnn Ballue of Bennet, Scott Ballue of Auburn; step-children Marie Henry of Palmer, Alaska, Thomas Henry Ballue of Osage City, Kansas, Donald (Mary) Ballue of Osage City, Kan.; 10 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; sisters Bonnie Wright, Linda Gray; brothers John Severs, Gerald (Cindy) Severs; other relatives and friends.

Services were entrusted to Hemmingsen Funeral Home of Auburn