Born February 20, 1938 in Quincy, MA, she was the daughter of George Goodhue and Gertrude (Mullin) Goodhue. She was raised in Braintree, MA and graduated from Archbishop Williams High School. Kathy graduated from Boston College with both a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree in Nursing. She was the first nursing student to be awarded the Boston College School of Nursing’s Eurycleia medal to honor a graduating senior who, in the estimate of classmates, best exemplified the nurse.
In her spare time, Kathy enjoyed calligraphy, gardening, and creating flower arrangements. She discovered a latent talent for painting late in life. Kathy was a giver and sharer who was selfless in her acts of kindness and generosity. Kathy’s strong Catholic faith provided a foundation for her life of giving - initially as a nurse, later as a stay at home mom of 4 children, loving grandmother to 8 grandchildren, and finally as the primary caregiver to her late husband Vincent who fought a 20+ year battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Even while suffering with an extended illness, Kathy’s faith, empathy, kindness, selflessness, and nursing mentality were unwavering.
Beloved wife of 48 years to Vincent Schirf (deceased); devoted mother of Dr. Brian Schirf and his wife Molly (Lange) of New Albany, OH, Lisa Schirf and her husband Guillaume Goussault of New York, NY, Daniel Schirf and his wife Kristin (Doucette) of Hanover, MA and Kevin Schirf and his wife Colleen (Cunniff) of New York, NY; loving sister of Barbara Beecy of Reston, VA, David Goodhue of Melrose, MA, George Goodhue, Jr of Braintree, MA and Mary Alice Kimak of Herndon, VA; proud grandmother of Aidan and Maeve Schirf, Henri and Louis Goussault, Evan and Allison Schirf and Owen and Grady Schirf. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins and other extended family and friends.
A Funeral Mass will be held Saturday, July 21st at 10AM at St. Anselms Church, 100 Landham Road, Sudbury. Interment will follow at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Sudbury. Calling hours will be held Friday, July 20th from 4PM-730PM at the Duckett - J. S. Waterman & Sons Home of Memorial Tribute, 656 Boston Post Road, SUDBURY.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, National Headquarters, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601 or online at www.alz.org.
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