Kate Graham

Kate was born on June 17, 1976 and died on October 23, 2025 at the age of 49.

Kate was a devoted mother, dedicated and creative educator, loving daughter, doting wife, unmatched sister, avid sports fan and excellent cook.

She loved nothing more than watching her son, Elias, play baseball. She treasured spending days at the beach with her family, cycling, hiking and paddleboarding with her husband and cooking for people she loved. She was known for her beautiful and meaningful birthday cards, homemade books and heartfelt letters to loved ones.

Kate was modest; she used to say she was “just a schoolteacher.” But in her classroom she was an artist, a writer, a curator and a mentor. She was also an advocate for the most marginalized students. She lived by the sign on her classroom door that read: “All Are Welcome.”

In her 20 years at PS 10 in Brooklyn, “Ms. Katie” helped transform a struggling school into a thriving community. She brought an infectious love of learning to her second graders and every student she taught. She was innovative and open to change and never stopped striving to become a better educator. Her lessons sparked creativity and curiosity and demanded intellectual rigor. Her classroom walls were plastered with vibrant, imaginative and colorful student work.

Kate had a beautiful laugh, a sassy sense of humor and a soft touch. She spoke lovely Spanish and was both worldly and deeply tied to home and family. She was a voracious reader and loved cuddling up with her extended family to watch sports.

For 18 years, Kate lived quietly and courageously with an oligodendroglioma, a rare and incurable form of brain cancer that receives little funding for research.

Kate’s son, Elias, was born just a year after this devastating diagnosis. His life is a testament to her strength, hope and belief in enduring love.

Katie spent her last days in the warm and loving embrace of her family in Port Washington, New York. She is survived by her husband, Joseph Rodriguez, her son, Elias De Leon and his father Cris De Leon, her stepson Joaquin Rodriguez, her parents Nancy and Kevin Graham, her sister, Jessie, and a large and adoring extended family.

Kate’s funeral was a tribute to her rich and beautiful life. You can watch it here.

https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/a25106289993387

For more about the music and book featured in the service:

Gracias a la Vida

https://www.riseupsinging.org/songs/gracias-la-vida

A La Uno Yo Lo Naci

https://www.letras.com/elysian-fields/315743/significado.html

You Belong Here

https://shop.live-inspired.com/catalog/product/baby/you-belong-here/

In lieu of flowers, please contribute to Oligo Nation in Kate's name to support essential oligodendroglioma research.

https://give.oligonation.org/give/306816/?_gl=1*bg9p9e*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3NjE1ODgwOTQuQ2owS0NRandzUHpIQmhEQ0FSSXNBTGxXTkcxM1R0M182UDktOVVJLWxIUlBRdlBGaUI4UTFhRE05NWxuU1hBZ3U3RzJJUUFxMzhmTm1NZ2FBaTlyRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*OTMzNTEzNDYxLjE3NjEzMjI1MzU.*_ga*MzQ3NzQ5MjguMTc2MTMyMjUzNQ..*_ga_H32WMPTH2R*czE3NjE1ODgwOTQkbzQkZzAkdDE3NjE1ODgwOTQkajYwJGwwJGgw#!/donation/checkout

We welcome your stories about Katie’s work and life. May her memory be for a blessing.