By Christi Mays
When Charlie Kimmey and his daughter, Kelli O鈥橠onnell, started planning a surprise for the woman at the heart of their family, they knew it had to be special. It had to honor not just the incredible physician Dr. Kathy Kimmey is, but the deep impact she鈥檚 had on her patients, colleagues and community over the last four decades. The result was the creation of the Dr. Kathy Kimmey Presidential Endowed Scholarship鈥攁 heartfelt and enduring tribute to a life devoted to service.
Dr. Kathy Kimmey鈥檚 path to medicine was inspired in her early years, watching her father, Dr. Earl Edwin Brooks, who was a physician in their small, rural town of Bogota, Texas.
鈥淗e did everything. He was the go-to physician,鈥� Kathy鈥檚 husband, Charlie, said. That commitment to others shaped Kathy鈥檚 own aspirations.
After graduating from Rivercrest High School, attending Paris Junior College and Texas A&M, and then medical school in Lubbock, Kathy landed at Scott & White in Temple for her residency in internal medicine from 1985 to 1988. She never left.
鈥淪he loved Scott & White. Loved the teaching aspect with medical students,鈥� Charlie said. In 2021, Kathy transitioned to a more manageable schedule in the oncology department, focusing on patients at high risk for breast cancer, leaving behind the grueling 75- to 80-hour workweeks she once maintained.
Behind Kathy鈥檚 professional success was Charlie, a man who shaped his own career around supporting hers. 鈥淚鈥檝e had three careers,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y career has always catered to hers, because, again, that was more of a calling for her and a passion.鈥�
Charlie and his daughter, Kelli, had been mulling over the idea of doing something meaningful for Kathy for years, spurred on by comments from her patients and friends. Enlisting the help of several of Kathy鈥檚 close friends to gather contact information and spread the word, the surprise event took place at the Ralph Wilson Youth Club鈥攚here Charlie had worked for 17 years鈥攗nder the guise of a routine gathering.
鈥淚 told her to block out that weekend, that there was an event at the youth club that we need to help with,鈥� Charlie said with a laugh. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not out of line with what she would normally be thinking or doing. We just thought it鈥檇 be kind of fun to do, and then it鈥檚 really been kind of neat.鈥� Pulling it off, though, required a bit of undercover coordination. 鈥淚 told her friends, 鈥楧on鈥檛 call me after hours!鈥欌��
The event was a success with more than 100 friends and family gathered to unveil the scholarship plaque along with an announcement that more than $135,000 has already been committed to the scholarship with more donations coming.
Though neither Charlie nor Kathy attended 雪梨社区, the family felt strongly that their gift would make a deeper impact there.
鈥淚 just love 雪梨社区,鈥� Charlie said. 鈥淭here are just a lot of good things that go on there. It鈥檚 just kind of a gem in Central Texas.鈥� He praised the school鈥檚 leadership, especially President Dr. Randy O鈥橰ear: 鈥淓verything they do, they do first class. A great nursing program, great athletic facilities. All the facilities are just first class.鈥�
The scholarship he and Kelli created will support nursing students, which they knew would be deeply meaningful to Kathy.
鈥淪he鈥檚 worked with a lot of great nurses. Behind every good doctor is an even better nurse,鈥� he said.
"I have never felt so surprised, loved and honored by this scholarship! How were my friends and family able to keep this a secret from me for over a year?鈥� Kathy said of the celebration at the Ralph Wilson Youth Club. 鈥淲hat a blessing to be able to provide scholarship assistance for nurses of the future! I am thankful to live in a community that values education. Go CRU!"
Charlie said it was important to create the scholarship as a surprise to his wife since she鈥檚 never been one to seek the spotlight.
鈥淪he鈥檚 not one for the limelight. She鈥檚 kind of behind the scenes, under the radar,鈥� Charlie said. But her influence has been anything but quiet. Her patients have always looked to her as someone who always listened.
鈥淪he had her phone on her hip, 24/7,鈥� Charlie said. 鈥淚f we are traveling on vacation and a patient calls, she鈥檚 gonna step aside and walk them through whatever needs to be done.鈥�
Charlie and Kathy鈥檚 love story began at Texas A&M, where Charlie first spotted her at the apartment complex where they both lived (but he was too shy to talk to her), he admitted.
鈥淪o one day, I told Mark, my roommate, 鈥楾hat鈥檚 the girl I鈥檓 gonna marry.鈥欌��
Eventually, Mark took matters into his own hands and introduced them. They married in 1981, raised two children, Brooks and Kelli, and now have six grandchildren.
鈥淔aith, family and friends鈥攖hat鈥檚 just kind of who she is,鈥� he said.
For Charlie, the decision to honor his wife this way was both emotional and rewarding. 鈥淪he deserves it just because she鈥檚 dedicated her life to medicine and helping others, and we just thought it鈥檇 be something fun to do and a neat way to honor her.鈥�
