Kathleen Gates

Kathleen Angela Gates, known to her loved ones as “Kay”, passed away peacefully on October 20, 2023 at the age of 88. She was born on February 10, 1935, in Newton to the late Lester and Catherine (Coffey) Flynn.

She attended Newton High School, Framingham Teachers College and received her ME.d from Boston College in 1960. She enjoyed summers in Brant Rock as a teen, and Scituate, MA as a summer and eventual year-round resident. Although she raised her family in Sudbury, MA she would always profess to be a proud daughter of Newton.

Kay will be remembered for her kindness and selflessness. She loved hosting parties, especially her annual July 4th cookout in Scituate. She taught her kids the simple philosophy that everyone was welcome and there was always room for one more at her table. Her legacy of generosity included giving back to the community as she worked most of her life as an educator finally retiring at age 79 from the Hingham, MA school system as their ESL Coordinator. She enjoyed gardening, the beach and the outdoors in general and was known to frequently remark, “smell that salt air!” Walking the golf course behind her home with her dogs was a daily joy, even in the winter with snowshoes!

Kay was predeceased by her husband Donald who died in 1997, her brother Bob Flynn and sister Joan Hersom. She is survived by her son Kevin Gates of Lincoln, RI, daughter Michelle Harrison and her husband Jack of North Andover, son Kenneth and his wife Karen of Ashland, MA, daughter Christine and her husband Matt Kelly of Yarmouth, ME and son Scott of Worcester, MA. She also leaves behind her sister Eileen DiPalma formerly of Natick, MA, and Judy Donnelly of Brighton, MA as well as grandsons Brendan Gates, Zachary and Andrew Kelly and Jonathan Harrison as well as many nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held from 10am to 12:00pm, Saturday October 28 at Richardson-Gaffey Funeral Home, 382 First Parish Road in Scituate, MA. Interment will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery. Relatives and friends are invited to gather at Oro Restaurant, 227 Chief Justice Cushing Hwy, Scituate, MA immediately following the burial.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that a donation be made to the charity of your liking, in memory of Kay.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.richardsongaffeyfuneralhome.com for the Gates family.