Katharine E. Manchester

FORT BELVOIR, Va. - Katharine E. Manchester, COL USA (Ret.), 93, who presided over the American Dietetic Association (ADA) as president during 1971-1972, was the first military dietitian to be elected to this office and also served on ADA's Foundation board of directors, died on December 9 at The Fairfax Nursing Center, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

Katharine E. Manchester was born in Jacksonville, Illinois on October 15, 1916. She graduated from the University of Illinois in 1938, and completed her dietetic internship at the University of Michigan Hospital the next year.

She entered the Army Medical Service in 1940 and was commissioned a 2nd LT in the USAR in March 1943. In 1948 she was selected to attend Cornell University for advanced study in the field of Institution and Personnel Management. She received a Master of Science degree in 1949. During her 31 years of military service she was responsible for developing procedures now used in food service operations in all fixed Army Medical Treatment Facilities. Her studies of centralized tray service contributed to the establishment of this procedure in Army hospitals. She served as Chief, Food Services Division at the 130th Station Hospital in Germany, as Chief of the Food Services Division and Director of Dietetic Internship Program at Brooke General Hospital and Chief, Dietitian Section, in the Office of the Surgeon General, Department of the Army Washington, DC.

Highly regarded by her civilian and military colleagues, she has always been active in dietetic associations. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to military dietetics and an indication of the high regard she has earned in her military career she was the first dietitian of the Army Medical Specialist Corps to be promoted the rank of Colonel. She had been awarded the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters for meritorious service during her career as dietitian in the Army Medical Service.

In May 1968, Colonel Manchester was the recipient of the Silver Plate Award as Food Service Operator of the Year in the hospital and nursing division presented by the Institutional Foodservice Manufacturers Association in recognition of outstanding service and dedication to the Food Service Industry and those who serve it. She received the 15th Annual McLester Award for notable achievement in the field of nutrition and dietetics, presented by the Association of Military Surgeons in October 1968. In July 1969 Colonel Manchester was awarded the coveted "A" Prefix for professional accomplishments in the Army Medical Department.

Colonel Manchester has been closely associated with the Army Dietetic Internship Programs since 1943. In 1969 the Walter Reed Graduate Dietetic Internship Program coordinated with the University of Maryland to establish the Master of Science degree from the University. Colonel Manchester was appointed as a visiting Assistant Professor on the faculty of the University of Maryland.

Upon her retirement from the U. S. Army, Colonel Manchester was presented with the Distinguished Service Medal, the highest non-combat military award possible, in recognition of her 31 years of outstanding service to the Army Medical Department. She was also presented with the Army Medical Service Medallion, the first woman to be so honored. In 1975 she was the recipient of the Marjorie Hulsizer Copher Memorial Award, the highest honor of the American Dietetic Association. In April 1976 she presented the Second Annual Grace M Shugart Lecture at Kansas State University. In July 1976, Institution Magazine named Katharine Manchester one of the ten pioneers who shaped modern food service. In November 1987 she was recognized by Restaurants & Institutions as one of 50 pioneers who have changed the course of the Food service Industry, joining such notables as Ray Kroc, J. Willard Marriott, Sr., and Col Harland Sanders in this recognition.

Following retirement from the U. S. Army, Colonel Manchester was installed as President of the American Dietetic Association for 1971-72, and subsequently served on the Foundation Board of Directors. During her six-year tenure on the board, she served as President for three years and as Treasurer for two years. Her commitment to the growth of the Foundation is demonstrated by the outstanding achievement of the goal to award 200 scholarships, a reality in the 1982-1983 scholarship year. Under her direction and leadership, solicitation in the corporate sector increased and their participation in the growth of the Foundation flourished. The respect and support the corporate donors held for her contributed to the valuable strides the Foundation made during her tenure. As a leader and role model of leadership, Colonel Manchester has been an inspiration to dietitians.

Colonel Manchester resided in her home at 8621 Camden Street, Alexandria, VA until 1993 when she moved to The Fairfax Retirement Center at Fort Belvoir. She never married and is survived by her cousins, Helen Tipps of Jacksonville, IL, and Amy Wallace of Houston, TX.