Katherine Elizabeth Kelly

She was born on February 11, 1935, in Hartford, the daughter of Timothy Kelly and Bertha Smith Kelly.

She graduated from Williams Memorial Institute in 1953, Willimantic State Teacher’s College in 1957, and went on to earn her master’s in education in 1970 at Eastern CT State College. Katherine was an elementary school teacher for 35 years at Waterford Public Schools. She retired in 1992. She was a member of New London County Retired Teacher’s Association and the Association of Retired Teachers of Connecticut. She was a communicant of St. Agnes Church in Niantic.

Katherine began her teaching career in the Waterford school system in Jordan School that is now the Waterford Town Hall. She taught there for one year and then was given a position at South West Elementary School on Daniels Ave. Her third year of teaching was in the Oswegatchie Elementary School on Boston Post Rd. where she continued for the rest of her 35 year career.

Katherine enjoyed close ties with her colleagues before and after her retirement in 1992. They would often meet and head out to one of their favorite restaurants.

Katherine grew up in the house her father and grandfather built on York Ave. She lived in that house until she was 89 yrs old.

Her mother and father were loving parents who adored her. That, however, doesn’t mean she was showered with material things. Resources were limited in the Kelly household. The connection they had as a family was more important. And Katherine’s memories of the times she and her parents, and at times other family members, spent engaged in activities together were cherished memories.

Katherine's father was a fisherman. He would leave early in the morning and maneuver his boat through the bridges from the Niantic River to the Bay. Katherine joined him for many of those early morning fishing trips. And those times on the water with her father were highlights when she would reflect on past events during her youth. She loved to tell the story about how she learned to row her father’s rowboat. They would return after a fishing trip to the Niantic River and tie up the boat to her father’s raft that he had anchored off the shore. The rowboat was used to ferry to and from the raft where the fishing boat was docked. It was a perfect opportunity for Katherine to learn how to row.

Flounder, lobster, clams, and scallops were commonplace meals in the Kelly house. These were enjoyed by her parents but Katherine did not like seafood. She instead, would ask for a hotdog. She would tell the story about how she and her father would drive down to Mitchell’s market and the butcher would see her there with her father and know exactly what they were there for - two hotdogs. Katherine told how what could have been a quick trip to the market often took much longer because everybody knew her father and a conversation with someone could go on-and-on.

One distinctive characteristic about Katherine is that she loved animals. Bird feeders held a prominent place in her yard. Another member of the animal world she embraced was that of cats. She always had a cat to come home to starting from early years in her life.

Katherine will be remembered for her dedication to her students during her teaching career, her kind and gentle manner, and her undeniable good-person nature. As much as anything though, her faith was ever-present in her actions and interactions with others.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, July 1st at 9am in St. Agnes Church, 22 Haigh St., Niantic. Burial will follow at St. Mary Cemetery, New London. In lieu of flowers memorial donations in her memory may be made to the charity of the donor’s choice.