Kathryn Bridget Connolly Piekarski

Kathryn Bridget Connolly Piekarski was born in Lakeland, Florida December 12, 1952 to Jewel Connolly of New Orleans, LA and John Connolly of Sioux City, IA. A precocious and curious young girl, she grew up playing in local swimming holes and cow pastures around her home, graduating from Lakeland High School in 1970 as a proud “Debonette.” Known as “Bridget” to her family and friends, she had an insatiable thirst for knowledge, and a particular passion for literature, music and art. She graduated from University of South Florida as a Journalism major, but returned to school later in life, attending Tulane University in New Orleans and University of Alaska at Anchorage where she majored in Psychology and minored in Art History, ultimately earning her MSW and LMHC. With her new knowledge, Bridget served children in school districts in Anchorage and across Central Florida, as assessed patients in crisis for hospitals and counties before opening her private practice. She continued to counsel individuals and families in Lakeland and Sarasota, Fl and Tyler, Tx before she retired. A 5’9” stunning, slender red-head and vibrant force of nature, Bridget lit up faces and commanded attention with her presence, but she never failed to be intelligent and well spoken, with a kindness and intuition about people that made her an easy and well-loved friend to many. Bridget and her husband moved to East Texas in 2014 to be close to her grandchildren, who are all thankful for her influence in their lives. After a long battle with Lupus and Autoimmune Disorder, she passed away peacefully on January 10th, 2025 in the care of her family and nurses at East Texas Hospice of Tyler, Tx. Bridget leaves behind her beloved soulmate and husband of 27 years, Anthony Piekarski, her daughter Kathryn Hamilton-Crain and son in law Burton Crain of Rusk, Texas, step son and daughter in law, Garreth Piekarski and Tess Tomasi of Teaneck, NJ, stepdaughter Leah Piekarski of Gainesville, Fl, as well as grandchildren Gabriel Bradshaw and John Bradshaw of Tyler, Tx, Burton O. Crain and Erik Crain of Rusk, Tx, Cora Piekarski of Teaneck, NJ, Stella and Iris Martin, Patrick Crain, Zoe Crain, and Billy Vermeulen. She also leaves behind a brother and sister in law, Tom and Karen Connolly of Lakeland, Fl and niece Michelle Connolly Hall, as well as many loved cousins from the Connolly/Arnett families. Memorial services will be held online at a future date and accessible via Hilliard’s Funeral Home and other platforms. Sympathy and condolences may be received at 382 E. 5th St, Rusk, Tx. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in memory of Bridget to the Lupus Foundation of America, or Breakthrough T1D Type 1 Diabetes Foundation. “There is one last thing that you must do; You must do something to make the world more beautiful.” -Barbara Cooney, Miss Rumphius …and she did.