McDole, Kathleen 02/08/46-01/22/2021 Mount Dora

Kathleen McDole of Mount Dora, Florida, mother of two, died peacefully at home surrounded by family on Friday, January 22 ^nd , 2021 from Leukemia.  She was 74 years old.  She was born in Oakland, California and grew up in Prunedale, California, one of 4 siblings.  She held multiple jobs as a nurse over a 40-year career in nursing, including working at the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, the Outpatient Immunology Services (OPIS).  She obtained her Masters in Nursing at California State University, San Jose, in 1993 writing her dissertation on homophobia among nurses caring for patients with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (1993).

She had a passion for lifelong learning, travel, community service, and her beloved orchids (many of which still adorn her home). As a member of Red Cross she helped coordinate relief efforts at hurricane shelters during hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in southern Florida. While living in Hawaii, she enrolled in courses to learn the native language of the islands.  Most recently, she received a certificate as a Master Food and Nutrition Counselor from the Florida Department of Agriculture.  She has also been active in programs to increase literacy in her local community.

She was preceeded in death by her daughter, Tammy Lockwood, her sister MaryAnn Hobbs, and her brother Del Edward Hightower.

She is survived by her loving husband of eighteen years, Bob McDole, her son and daughter-in-law, Dan and Andrea Maison, her grandson, Jacob Maison, her sister and brother-in-law, Donna and Jackie Guntharp and their children Travis and Jason Guntharp, her brother George Hightower and his children Paula, George Junior, Leo and Wayne, her two half-brothers, Mike and Rick Shrum, her nephew Gary Hobbs and niece Anita Hobbs, and her two extremely spoiled cats, Otis and Mila.

In Lieu of flower, the family has asked that you please consider donations be made to Lake Cares ( https://www.lakecares.org ), a cause very near and dear to her heart.