Catherine V. "Kit" Brommer

Catherine V. (Kit) Brommer, 98, of Columbia, passed away on Monday July 7, 2025 at the Masonic Village of Elizabethtown. She was the wife of the late James Brommer with whom she was married 61 years. Born in Marietta she was the daughter of the late Harry S. Penwell and Veronica Penwell Tschudy. In addition to her parents, five siblings preceded her in death – Francis Neff, Agnes Shields, Mary Shields Bell, Loretta Shields Potenzo, and Clovie Penwell Gibble. Catherine was the last of her immediate family.

Kit attended Marietta High School and was crowned May Queen in 1942. She retired from Wyeth Lab after 31 years of service as supervisor of the bottle sterilization room. Kit was an active member of St. Paul Episcopal Church Columbia serving on the ladies committee as baker for their annual Strawberry Festival. She was an avid antique collector, traveler and artist. Kit and her husband traveled to and through 30 states plus Canada, Nova Scotia, and Bermuda. She got to see Queen Elizabeth up close riding in a royal carriage while in Bermuda. Kit spent her later winter retirement years traveling to West Palm Beach, Florida with her husband and English bulldogs in their RV.

Kit leaves behind her daughter Brenda Brommer Smith, wife of the late Gregory Smith and her son James Brommer, husband of Victoria Kocher Brommer. Three grandchildren – Keary Smith, husband of Jodi (Styer) Smith; Jennifer (Smith) Kauffman, wife of Kevin Kauffman; and Ryan Brommer, husband of Jennifer (Heller) Brommer. Six great-grandchildren – Dylan and Brady Smith, Connor, Ethan and Julia Catherine Kauffman, and Mackenzie Brommer. Catherine was a devoted and faithful wife, a caring and loving grandmother and great-grandmother. She will truly be missed by all who knew and loved her but will never be forgotten.