Katherine J. "Kitty" Waitkus

1922 - 2017

HADLEY - Katherine K. ""Kitty"" (Kavanaugh) Waitkus, 95, of 32 Greenleaves Drive, Apt. #118, died Thursday evening, March 2, 2017 at Baystate Franklin Medical Center, following a period of declining health.
A native of Erving, MA, she was born on February 23, 1922 to Philip G. and Ethel (Dyer) Kavanaugh. She attended Erving Elementary Schools and Montague Public Schools, graduating from Turners Falls High School in the class of 1940 and composed the class song. She remained an active member of her class reunion committee right up to her passing.
She was employed at the former Greenfield Tap & Die Corporation, Greenfield, MA having worked as a scale operator and packer in the shipping department, lastly as a special inspector and gauge setter in the quality control / standards department and retired following 45 years of employment in 1985. Kitty was an active spokes person for U.E. local #274 throughout her life.
Kitty furthered her adult education by attending Greenfield Community College (GCC) and graduated with honors with a degree in Liberal Arts in 1979. She was appointed to the Board of Trustee's of GCC by then Governor Dukakis and was elected chairperson of the board until such time ill health required her to step down in 1987. Kitty served as a past executive member of the Massachusetts Community College Association. She also served the Town of Montague in numerous capacities including Library Trustee from 1977-1981, member of the Finance Committee from 1978 until 1986, a former Police Commissioner and Selectwoman (having served 4 years with 2 years as chairperson of the board) as well as the Town Democratic Committee.
Additionally, Kitty served on several civic and business boards including, but not exclusive to, EDIC (Economic and Industrial Commission), Regional Trash Facility (as chairperson), FCAC (Franklin County Community Action), the board of directors for the Shea Theatre, a 10 year volunteer for the SPCC (Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Children) thrift shop and the former St. Mary's of the Assumption Church Finance Committee. She will be forever remembered for her staunch Democratic political views, her tireless defense of workers and women's rights and for her sense of humor. Additionally, she will be remembered for her television journalistic career, where she was found on the public access channel #15 hosting programs such as ""How I helped Win the War"" and ""Conversations with Kitty"".
Kitty loved music, ballroom dancing and traveling, having extensively visited the continents of Europe and Asia, as well as North America, including Canada and the United States. Education was a core focus in her life and she could be found as a regular at lectures and symposiums. Kitty also enjoyed attending the Pioneer Valley Symphony. Additionally, she was a voracious reader and a student of world history, in particular the civil war and Native American culture. Kitty will be remembered for her quick wit and humor. She relocated to the Town of Hadley in 2009, in order to be closer to her son James and his wife, Hea-Suk. She resided at the Windfield Senior Housing and became an active volunteer at the First Methodist Church of Amherst community meals program and as a volunteer at the Hospice Shop of the Fisher Home. She married John E. Waitkus in 1951 in Greenfield, MA
Kitty will be remembered by her sons; James and his wife Hea-Suk of South Hadley; John of Easton, MA; her brother William Kavanaugh and his wife Barbel, of University Park, FL and by her sisters, Elsie Nelson of Northampton, MA and Ann Steward and her husband Frank, of Millers Falls, MA. Additionally, she leaves many grandchildren and great grandchildren and several nieces, nephews and grandnieces and grandnephews to remember her with affection. She was predeceased by her parents, her husband John E. Waitkus, her daughter Dierdre M. Waitkus, her brothers Philip, Francis and Edward ""Pete"" Kavanaugh, her sister Arline M. Mitzkovitz and her brother-in-laws Thomas Miskovitz and Nicholas Nelson.
Funeral services in celebration of her life will be observed from the McCarthy Funeral Homes, 14 Prospect Street, Turners Falls, MA on WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2017 at 11:00AM, with Mr. Jack Cooper officiating as celebrant. Burial and interment will follow in Our Lady of Czestochowa Cemetery, Turners Falls, MA. The Waitkus family will receive guests the morning of the service from 10:00 AM until the time of the service. At Kitty's request, flowers are to be omitted with charitable contributions preferred to either the Hospice Shop of the Fisher Home, 1165 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01002 or to the Greenfield Community College Foundation, 1 College Drive, Greenfield, MA 01301.
The McCarthy Funeral Homes have been entrusted with the arrangements. Guest book and condolence message available at www.mccarthyfuneralhomes.com