Katherine Wescott

TRAVERSE CITY — Katherine Terrett Wescott, age 80, died on July 28 at Grand Traverse Pavilions, with family by her side. Born Feb. 26, 1930, in Westfield, Mass., "K" was the only daughter of the late James and Helen Terrett. A graduate of Westfield High School, Katherine worked for many years at Old Colony Envelope Co. before becoming secretary for the Episcopal Church of the Atonement, where she was also a member of the Vestry and a founding director of the Church School program.Katherine had a beautiful voice and sang soprano with a powerful range. A member of several choirs, "K" most recently sang with the Grace Episcopal Church choir in Traverse City and enjoyed listening to choral music.In July, 1960, Katherine married Walter F. Wescott of Westfield and gave up employment in order to start her family. In the midst of the women's movement of the 1970s, she became a librarian in the local school system so that she could "earn her way" and be home for her kids and husband. In 1979 the Wescotts turned their summer home in Piermont, N.H., into a permanent one, and Katherine took a job over the river in Bradford, Vt., as the bookkeeper for Oxbow High School. Following Walter's untimely death in 1983, Katherine refused to leave the mountain home she had built with him and opted instead for adventure. She campaigned for Jeanne Shaheen, the first woman governor of New Hampshire; she marched on Washington in support of women's reproductive rights in 1989; and with her best friend Ruth Southworth's encouragement, she traveled in the West and ultimately rode a mule to the bottom of the Grand Canyon! Katherine retired in 2004 and in 2005 moved to Traverse City to be closer to her son, Jeff and his family.She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter; her brothers, Dudley and George; and by her husband's siblings, whom she loved dearly, Esther (Wescott) Griggs, James E. Wescott, Thomas J. Wescott and Alice (Wescott) Crochetiere. Katherine is survived by her sons, Jeffrey J. (Catherine Turnbull) Wescott, of Traverse City, and David T. (Jody) Wescott, of Mesquite, Nev.; by her daughter, Susan E. Wescott, of Wichita, Kan.; by her brother, James (Rita) Terrett, of Westfield, Mass.; and by her five grandchildren, Hannah and Clare Wescott, of Traverse City, Amber and Joshua Wescott, of Piermont, N.H., and Cassandra Senecal, of Wichita, Kan. A celebration of Katherine Wescott's life will be held on Friday, Aug. 13, at noon, at Grace Episcopal Church on Washington Street in Traverse City. The Rev. Marilyn Dressell will serve as officiant.A memorial fund has been established in Katherine's name with the Alzheimer's Association at www.alz.org: please consider making a donation, and help bring us all closer to a world without Alzheimer's. Funeral arrangements have been made through Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home.

Katherine Wescott

July 28, 2010