Katherine Douglas Palmer

Katherine Douglas Palmer December 26, 1928 - October 1, 2009 Katherine Douglas Palmer died Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009 at Foxdale Village, of complications from Alzheimer's disease and small strokes. She was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Dec. 26, 1928, the daughter of George Kelsey William Watson and Ruth Erskine (Carson) Watson. After her mother's death in 1934 in the midst of the depression, her father found he was unable to support his three daughters, and she moved to Arlington, Va. where she became the foster daughter of Francis C. Cary and his wife, Gladys, close friends of the Watson family. The move was facilitated by Kathy's aunt, Sister Helen of the Episcopal Order, Sisters of the Holy Nativity, who always remained a loving and inspiring presence in Kathy's life. The Carys later moved to Wilmington, Del., where Kathy completed high school and then enrolled in the University of Delaware. After two years, the Carys moved to Wisconsin, and Kathy completed a B.S. in English and French at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It was there that she met Howard Palmer, to whom she was married in Waupaca, Wisconsin in 1951. She and Howard moved to Providence, R.I. in 1952, and then to State College in 1955, where they have lived ever since, aside from a six-month sabbatical in England in 1963. She is survived by her husband, by her son Andrew, of State College; by son Jeffrey and his family of Berlin, Md., including his wife Carol and sons Justin, Christopher, and Jackson; by son David, of Concord, N.C., with his wife Sara and son Steven; by foster son Anh P. Ngo, of Auburn, Calif., with his wife Thanh, son Vinh, and daughter Kim; by nephews Douglas Chalke and family, and James Chalke and family, all of Vancouver, British Columbia, plus grandniece Cory Theodor, also of Vancouver. She was predeceased by her parents and foster parents, by her aunt, by her two sisters, and by her much-loved niece Louise Lamontagne. Kathy was a person of wide interests and wide sympathies, a devoted and very active Christian as well as an educator and supporter of various types of outreach. She served for seven years as Coordinator and teacher in the Christian Education program of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. In that context, she also was co-founder of the Clothes Closet at the church, which served the Centre Region with free clothing for more than 30 years; she was a Lay Reader, a Lay Eucharistic Minister, a Stephen Minister, and a member of the Prayer Chain of the church. She belonged to the Third Order of the Society of Saint Francis (Episcopal), and served as its Area Chaplain for western Pennsylvania and Ohio for a number of years. She was noted for her hospitality to those in need. Kathy and her husband opened their home, often for extended periods, to refugees and others in need of housing assistance, such as participants in the Southern Student Project, the Vietnamese Refugee Program, refugees from the USSR, a graduate student with lupus, two single mothers, and others, in all more than two dozen persons over the years. Somewhat related activities of hers included the International Hospitality Program as well as teaching English as a Second Language, where she participated in the Community Education Program but also did much free teaching of ESL when asked. Kathy served for many years in the "A Friend" help-line ministry. She was active in the Association for Retarded Citizens, serving a term as president and co-founding the Carousel Playschool for retarded children. Her love of those in need also led her to participation in the Park Forest Day Nursery for some years. Most of Kathy's activities and accomplishments followed naturally from her buoyant and unselfish personal qualities and her faith. She was known for her devotion to friends and family, her cheerful demeanor and winning smile, her readiness to reach out to others, her love of the arts, especially the visual arts, music, and the dance, and her profound and lively Christian faith, characterized by dedication to the church, prayer, and study accompanied by actively practiced compassion and generosity. She loved simple things-birds, flowers, sunsets, young children, dogs, a walk in the early evening, a picnic in the park. She had a special and blessed gift for appreciating the good and the true and the beautiful and for communicating that with joy. A memorial Eucharist for Kathy will be held at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church at a future date, to be announced. Her ashes will be interred in the Columbarium at St. Andrew's. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to The Parishioner's Ministry at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church; to the Third Order, Society of St. Francis, 3681 East Curtis Drive, Sacramento, CA 95818, or to another appropriate charity. Arrangements are being handled by Koch Funeral Home.