Kathryn Clark Litra

Born on September 5, 1941, in St. Marys, Pennsylvania, Kathy was the eldest daughter of the late John McGrath and Margaret Elizabeth “Betty” Clark.

After growing up in St. Marys, Kathy attended St. Vincent Hospital School of Nursing in Erie, PA. It was there that she met and fell in love with Herman, an undergraduate student at Gannon College (now University). They were married on December 27, 1961 at Queen of the World Catholic Church in St. Marys.

When Herman joined the Air Force shortly thereafter, over the course of the next 20 years they embarked on a life of travel and adventures that took them to duty stations across the United States, Canada, and Europe. At every stop Kathy created a comfortable home for her family and easily integrated herself into each new community. Kathy was a generous and loving mother to her three children with whom she shared her love of learning, the arts, and music.

A voracious reader, she also found creative outlets in everything from sewing and needlework, to knitting and painting. Combining her love of music and a thirst for knowledge she would immerse herself for months in various topics of interest such as opera, history, and birds, just to name a few.

Kathy loved being near water, whether lifeguarding at the local pool, at the beach or sitting on the porch overlooking the small lake in Greenville, SC, on which she lived for [34] years before relocating in 2021 to Kingsport, TN, to be near her daughter.

Over the years Kathy had a variety of vocations but her last one was for her the most fulfilling. She finally found her way back to healthcare where for nearly two decades she was a medical coder at Gastroenterology Associates, PA in Greenville SC. Kathy was such a valued and respected employee there that even though she attempted to retire twice, she was asked to return to assist with training the next generation of coders, which she happily did.

Kathy is survived by her husband, Herman Joseph Litra; three children – Gregory Litra (Susan Dudzinski) of Raleigh, NC; Eric Litra (Noelle DuVall) of Monroe, MI; and Amy Litra Long (Michael) of Kingsport, TN; and six grandchildren – Samuel, Emma, and Joshua Litra; Natalie and Maxwell Litra; and Alexander Long.

She also leaves behind six siblings, Terry Clark (Marie) of Benton, AR; Janet Van Haelst (Rick) of Lake Oswego, OR; Pat Clark (Kate Martin) of Philadelphia, PA; Brian Clark (Alice) of State College, PA; Ginny Roberts of St. Marys, PA; and Mary Jane Clark (Joan Katz) of Eliot, ME.

Donations in her memory can be made to the Arthritis Foundation in Atlanta, GA, or to SCETV in Columbia, SC.