Kathleen Wren O'Connor Niemetz

Kathleen Wren O’Connor was born in Manhattan to William and Hannah O’Connor and grew up with her brother, William. But really, her origin story begins in the Rockaways. Her love of the beach, adventure, and, above all, her family shines through in every story she told about those years. Sneaking into the funeral home, riding the dumbwaiter, what always stood out was her sense of adventure and enjoyment of life.

She went on to medical school in Ireland, and the way she described her years at University College Dublin made it sound a little like being enrolled at Hogwarts. There were the lifelong friends she made, biking to dances, and countless stories of good times. Never once was there mention of a grueling workload or difficult exams. In typical Mom style, the focus was always on the fun.

She met Julian, our dad, at Elmhurst Hospital. On paper, they may have seemed like an odd couple, but they had a marriage most people only dream of. Dad already had a son, Philippe to sweeten the deal, and together they went on to have three more children: Gregory, Alda, and Alanna.

She practiced dermatology in the Bronx and loved it. She loved the work, she loved her patients, and perhaps most of all, she loved her coworkers. (And the level of air conditioning at the office.)

She taught us so many things, but mostly she taught us to be warm and open, to enjoy the people around us, and not to let life get in the way of a good time.

She is survived by her children, Philippe & Kerry, Greg & Katie, Alda & Ryan, and Alanna & Sean. She will be deeply missed by her grandchildren, Alex, Julian, Nemo, Aberdeen, Tim & Jack.

A celebration of Kathleen’s life will take place at the Pelham Funeral Home located at 64 Lincoln Ave., Pelham NY, on Thursday, September 3, 2026 between to hours of 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at Holy Family Church, located at 83 Clove Road, New Rochelle NY 10801 on Friday September 4, 2026 at 10:00 am.  Interment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery.

In Lieu of flowers, donation may be made in Kathleen's memory to a charity of you choice.

 For more information or to leave a condolence please visit www.pelhamfuneral.com