Katherine D. "Kit" McGinniss

Katherine Dee McGinniss was born April 12, 1948, in Burlington, VT.
Named Katherine after her mother, Kitty was the first born of a prodigious and incomparable family. Jerry and Sis McGinniss went on to have four other children, James, Matthew, Mary and Bridget.
Kit was a preternaturally pretty baby and held that to her last day–she always looked gorgeous. Her good looks shaped her life in many ways: Kit was notably stylish and funny. These qualities sometimes challenged her, especially when people underestimated her intelligence because of her charms.
After graduating Rice High School, Kit matriculated at the University of Vermont. She made many lifelong friends during this period.
After graduating from UVM, Kit left Burlington for California. She settled in the Bay Area and pursued an ambitious career in psychotherapy, initially receiving an MA in Art Therapy and eventually receiving her PhD in clinical psychology from the Wright Institute in Berkeley. She was in private practice for over 35 years and affected the lives of many patients. Her deep research into arts and mental health was thoughtful, groundbreaking, and personal.
Kit had impeccable taste. She loved beautiful clothes, great novels, and delicious food. She loved painting in particular and had a fondness for the great women abstract expressionists. She always knew good art when she saw it. She was a voracious reader and always kept up with the news.
After an auto accident that resulted in a life-changing brain injury, in the late 1990s, Kit left California and returned to Vermont. She reconnected with her family and friends and continued to see patients, serving her community until 2023.
Kitty is survived by a big loving family, including her siblings Matthew, Mary, and Bridget. She was absolutely delighted by her nieces and nephews–Misa, Owen, Willy Dee, Meara, Molly, Patrick, Eamon and Sean. It's possible that their partners and children delighted her even more. Kit felt great love for and friendship with her brothers and sisters-in-law: Bruce McKenzie, Polly McGinniss, Anna Blackmer, Clare Doyle, Kate Bouton, and Doug Kerr. Her aunt Janet, a kindred spirit, is saddened by her death. She loved animals–her recent time spent with family pups Oakley, Lola, and Frankie was particularly joyful.
Kit grieved the death of many friends and family including her father, her brother Jim, Maggie and Dave Waterman, Carol Blackmer, Bruce McKenzie, her aunt Beryl, and her beloved mother Sis.
Our family would like to thank Mary McGinniss and Bridget Kerr for their absolute devotion to Kit in the last year of her life. We would also like to thank Dr. Richard Pinckney, Sharyn Layfield, her book club, her friends, and the staff(s) of the UVM MC Emergency Department, St. Joseph's Home, and the Converse Home.
Dr. Pinckney, remarking how well Kit was doing a few days before she died, said "It's incredible what happiness does to the brain." A clinician to the end, we think Kit would have loved hearing this.
In lieu of flowers, Kit would be honored to have donations made in her name to Burlington City Arts, a testament to her commitment to the arts and its impact on mental health in her hometown.
A celebration of Kit's life will be held at Ready Funeral Home 261 Shelburne Road Burlington Saturday November 2, 2024. at 3 pm.
Arrangements are in the care of Ready Funeral Services. To send online condolences please visit www.readyfuneral.com.