Kearney, Carol Jean (nee Williams)

Carol Jean (nee

Williams) Kearney, 68, slipped away Aug. 10, 2009, after a short battle with cancer. Visitation: 3 to 8 p.m. today at Palos-Gaidas Funeral Home, 11028 S. Southwest Hwy, Palos Hills, Ill. (Van Henkelum Funeral Home Directors). Funeral services: 10:30 a.m. Friday from the funeral home to St. Alexander Church for 11:30 a.m. Mass of the Resurrection. Burial: noon Saturday at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Dubuque.

She was the wife of James E. Kearney; mother of Ben (fiancee Erika Peterson), Matthew (Lisa) and Elizabeth; devoted grandmother of Sean, Megan, Rachel and Myles; sister of Thomas (Linda) Williams of Waterloo; and beloved of many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

Born in El Reno, Okla., and raised in Iowa, she was a longtime resident of Palos Heights, Ill. Carol and Jim met on stage in 1961 in the production of "Pal Joey" at the Cedar Rapids Community Theatre and were married at St. Patrick's Church on Sept. 22, 1962. Carol was celebrated as a singer, actress, director, playwright and composer. She worked with many theater groups all over Cook County. Her original musical, "My Heart, My Home, My Ireland," was produced by Beverly Theatre Guild at the Beverly Arts Center and by Shapeshifters at the Irish American Heritage Center. Carol was a longtime volunteer at Tinley Park's Crisis Center for South Suburbia.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Carol's memory may be given to Crisis Center for South Suburbia, P.O. Box 39, Tinley Park, IL 60477 ATTN: Development.

For information, please call (708) 448-3530 or (708) 974-4410 or