Catherine H. Wakefield

Catherine Hall Wakefield, known as “Kit” to family, friends, and colleagues, died at home in Mt. Holly, VT, on Thursday, April 4, 2025, of complications from coronary heart disease. She was born January 14, 1934, in Dedham, MA, the eldest of three children of the late Lothrup H. and Catherine H. Wakefield. Throughout her life, music was at the core of her existence, as both a performer and a highly respected and much-loved vocal and instrumental teacher in public schools.

She graduated from Milton Academy in MA, where a strong choral program initially fueled her passion for music in general. Although she trained as a primary school teacher at Wheelock College and taught first and second grade children for several years, she was also singing in leading choruses in New York City and at Tanglewood during this time. Eventually, she attained a graduate degree in Music Education at The New England Conservatory of Music in Boston.

Subsequently, she became a music teacher to elementary age children at Essex Fells School in NJ, and at the Braeburn/Webster Schools in West Hartford, CT. At the time, West Hartford was a major center for the Kodaly approach to teaching music. After taking summer courses in Hungary where this method originated, Kit applied her new skills masterfully. She conducted many school concerts, including Inter-El festivals at the Bushnell Auditorium in Hartford, which were so exceptional that she was named a finalist for Teacher of the Year, and her classes were featured in a Ford Foundation film, “Music Lessons.” After she retired in 1991, she worked as a Colonial Education teacher for the Noah Webster House in West Hartford, where she founded the Webster Company Dancers, who performed to colonial-era music in CT and at George Washington’s Mount Vernon home in VA.

In 2001 she moved to Mount Holly, VT, where she shared a home with her long-time colleague and friend, Susan Engle. Together they founded an a cappella women’s chorus, Mountain Capella, which performed at various venues in VT. Kit also sang in the Trinity Church Choir in Rutland, VT, for many years.

In addition to her musical activities, Kit was a life-long dog lover and owned numerous dogs, especially Golden Retrievers, that gave her much joy. Her much-loved last dog, Finny, will always remember his mommy, Kit.

Kit found time to volunteer in other ways throughout her life. In NJ she helped people who suffered with muscular dystrophy. In VT she served as a mentor in the Mt. Holly School, worked in the Rutland Food Bank, taught the recorder to children in the Shrewsbury Chamber Music Society, and regularly volunteered for activities at her church.

Kit will also be remembered for pursuing numerous outdoor activities throughout her life. She hiked, biked, camped, canoe-camped, cross-country skied, and rope-climbed, the latter in the Tetons. Most of all, Kit was an excellent sailor, which she perfected over many happy summers that were spent on Cape Cod, from her childhood in Chatham to later years in Cataumet. She skillfully skippered her 16-foot sailboat, Katalinka, in Buzzards Bay, MA, during the Cataumet years.

Kit was passionate about traveling. As a young woman, she took a year’s leave of absence from teaching to spend a year going around the world with her cousin, Sally Wakefield. She later made numerous trips in the US and many provinces of Canada. Truly, she lived her life well.

Her brother Lothrup “Bo” Wakefield preceded her in death. She is survived by her sister, Anna Wakefield Milano, her long-time housemate and friend, Susan Engle, nephew Jon Schurger, niece Cathy Giugliano, as well as her Australian relatives – sister-in-law Katherine Wakefield, nephew Nathan Wakefield, niece Erin Carter, niece Kristen Elmore, niece Roseanna Wakefield, and many grandnephews, grandnieces and Hall-Doherty cousins.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday May 18,2025 at 4 pm at Trinity Episcopal Church, Rutland, VT, in May. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Springfield Humane Society (401 Skitchewaug Trail, Springfield, VT 05156), Trinity Episcopal Church (85 West Street, Rutland, VT 05701), or The Child Fund (PO Box 1911, Merrifield, VA 22116).