Kathryn Wold Bean

Kathryn ("Kay") Wold Bean died January 23, 2026 at the age of 96. She

was born in Pasadena, California on October 5, 1929 to Lester Thompson

Wold and Kathryn McAlister Wold. Aside from short times in Shaker

Heights, Ohio and Worcester, Massachusetts, her childhood was spent in

Southern California.

Kay earned her B.A. from Stanford University where she met her husband,

Harold ("Hal") G. Bean. Shortly after their marraige in January, 1952, she

and Hal moved to the Washington, DC area where Hal worked for the

federal government. Early tours in Frankfurt, Germany and Paris, France

allowed them to travel extensively through Europe and sparked a lifelong

interest in French culture and a curiousity about the world.

After returning to Washington, Kay taught nursery school for several years

in Reston, then earned her masters degree in teaching from The George

Washington University and taught first and second grade in Fairfax

County. She was especially interested in teaching children to read - a

good fit for an avid reader.

Retirement allowed more time for international travel and in addition to

returning to her beloved Paris several times, Kay traveled to China, Japan,

Ladakh and Nepal, the then Soviet Union on a citizen diplomacy tour,

Norway, Togo, the Ivory Coast, Greece and India on several occasions.

Kay also spent time volunteering for various local service organizations

and was an active member of book clubs, a women's group, a memoir -

writing group and a spiritual studies group.

Kay is survived by her husband of 74 years, her daughter Krista Bean

Dorrian (Michael) and her son Michael Bean (Lynn); her three grandchildren

Ashlee Bean Hass, Victoria Dorrian and Peter Dorrian; and her greatgrandson,

Donovan Hass. She is also survived by her cousin, her sisterin-

law and several nephews and their families.

A celebration of life will be held on Monday, March 23, 2026 at 1:30 p.m.

at Goodwin House Bailey's Crossroads (3440 S. Jefferson Street, Falls

Church, VA 22041). In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her

name to the Environmental Defense Fund or the Goodwin Living

Foundation.