Kathi Fearon

Kathleen Marie Fearon (Zimmermann) born April 14, 1960 in Patterson, New Jersey, passed away on July 18, 2024 at the far too young age of 64. She would be embarrassed to find something all about her in the news. Kathi is survived by her two children, Danielle and Conor, their spouses Rob and Carolyn, and Bob, her husband. Additionally she leaves behind three sisters, two brothers, countless nieces and nephews, and a laundry list of friends who thought of her as either another sibling or mother. That is who Kathi was, if you were lucky enough to know her you were able to instantly feel the warmth and caring she brought with her everywhere and everyday. Everyone she met learned her life story and she genuinely cared about hearing theirs. To be around Kathi meant you were surrounded by the warmth of love.

There is no more fitting career for someone like Kathi than getting the opportunity to touch thousands of lives as a teacher. After graduating from Georgetown in 1982 and UCONN in 1984, Kathi spent her 35 year teaching career in Massachusetts and Connecticut spanning many grades. It wasn’t a job, it was who she was. This was proven with multiple teacher of the year awards, that she was always embarrassed to receive in front of a crowd of people. When working at the family store, Conor constantly met people that had Mrs. Fearon as a teacher. If they found out he was Mrs. Fearon’s son, their faces would light up and proudly tell him they had the best teacher ever and how much they loved 2nd and 3rd grade. Even after retirement in 2019, she found herself volunteering to tutor local students who just needed a little bit of help and caring. That was her, always wanting to help.

Her love was extended to anyone that met her. Bob, Conor, and Danielle have been inundated with messages referencing the kitchen table which always had an open invitation and usually had a guest any day of the week. This table was filled with thousands of scratches, each with a story. A small dent from a domino when she was teaching the toddlers how to match numbers, a teardrop from when she was comforting a friend in need, or a whipped cream stain because the bottle exploded all over everyone causing a roar of laughter. So many hosted holidays that of course included family, but also many friends. They made sure to visit Kathi because that’s how much she meant to their own families. When you came over to the Fearon’s you were welcomed, no questions asked. You were fed twizzlers from a giant sized bag, offered a glass of wine, and listened to music (especially Sara Bareilles) no matter the situation.

In high school she met a saxophone playing, ice cream slinging, baseball player - Bob Fearon - and they quickly became friends. Somehow he eventually managed to convince Kathi he was worthy of her love and they dated through college and married in 1984. We never found out why she chose him, other than saying “he’s just an amazing man, I can’t live without him”. For a woman who loved words so much, we always wanted more of an explanation, though it was understood that their love is so deep even the English major couldn’t figure out how to describe it. Their wedding was always known to be the third happiest day of her life, with the only others being the days she brought her favorite son and favorite daughter into the world. Kathi was the daughter of Pat and Joe Zimmermann, and being the middle of seven she had the distinct pleasure of having middle child syndrome and being the glue to her immediate and extensive extended family. It was a role she cherished though, she loved her family and nothing made her happier than seeing the love of family around her.

Her love of books and literature tremendously impacted her life, and being around Kathi meant you felt the essence of those stories that held the greatest significance to her. Bob would say that she was the embodiment of the Giving Tree, a story she could recite by heart even 30 years after the last time she read it as a bedtime story to her kids. Christmas will never be the same for the Fearons and Zimmermanns. She derived more joy buying for others than she did on receiving gifts herself. She collected gifts throughout the year that made her think of you and every little thing had meaning behind it. Some time in a passing comment you forgot about, you mentioned missing collecting Pokemon cards, and now there were three packs in your stocking. Many reading this have handmade ornaments, postcards, and jewelry, the supplies for which fill closets in her home. She cherished sharing her crafts and loved the pictures she’d receive of all the babies dressed in onesies she hand-painted for them.

Her love of Don Quixote and The Little Prince taught everyone around her to not give into the world of boring adulthood, or matters of consequence. To live for the things that excite you. No one ever experienced small talk with Kathi. The first time you met Kathi you would find yourself answering questions that would make you think, but also make you feel like you mattered. That’s why we felt so welcomed by her. There was no pretense or formality. This formed real friendships everyone cherished.

That is the legacy she leaves behind for everyone who met her. Host parties, small and large, often. What we will miss the most is showing up to that kitchen table unannounced and somehow one person visiting turning into more arriving and enjoying the warmth of a loving household till the sun went down. She couldn’t help but invite everyone over and being there meant you were at home with your favorite person.

Kathi’s life will be celebrated on Saturday, July 27th with a memorial service at 3:00 pm at Robert Toale and Sons Celebration of Life Center, 4310 Solutions Lane, Lakewood Ranch, FL, 34211. We encourage people to please honor Kathi in the way that she lived. Gather with friends and family, drink a glass of your choosing over a card game or two, trade stories, tell the people around you how much you love them, and have conversations that go a little deeper.

If you feel the need to do something more, in lieu of flowers, please donate in Kathi’s name to Make-A-Wish America. If there is a story about Kathi you wish to share with the family, we would love to receive them, whether family, friend, colleague or students, please share them here.