Obituary for Kathy Lee "Kate" Duffy
Kathy (Kate) Duffy, 65, of Ogunquit, ME and West Boylston, MA, was called to Heaven on December 12, 2022 after a brief illness.
Kate was born in Lee, MA to Christine and Zenas Besly. After graduating from Burncoat High School, she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in early childhood education from Worcester State College and became a teacher. The countless hours she spent crafting lessons, stories and games enriched hundreds of young lives across Central Massachusetts. So few of us wind up in careers we were truly born for.
But nothing meant more to Kate than family. She shared 45 years with her soulmate, Tim, with whom she traveled the world, fixed up fixer-uppers and belly laughed every day. Together they raised Courtney and Jared, who filled her with pride and joy in equal measure. Also digging special places in her heart were pups Baron, Asparagus and Finnegan; in her final days, she joked that her family should think of her every time they spot a black dog. Of course, we will think of her always.
Kate never missed a Patriots game, and her encyclopedic knowledge of Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics rosters spanned decades. She cherished summers spent cheering on Courtney’s Wachusett Wrath softball team, which Tim coached, as well as Jared’s Rising Stars lacrosse team. Having retired with Tim to beautiful Ogunquit in 2019, she began every morning with a walk on the beach. “The way life should be,” indeed.
Predeceased by her parents and favorite uncle Bob Copeland, Kate leaves behind Tim, Courtney and Jared, as well as siblings Robin Johnson, Cindy Fanning and Michael Besly, nine siblings-in-law and fifteen nieces and nephews. Her family will never forget how loved ones rallied behind them throughout her illness with visits, words of encouragement and oh-so-much food. And thanks to Johnna, Keith and Brett, her team of hospice angels, Kate was able to live out her days in her favorite place in the world, surrounded by those she loved most. May we all be so lucky.
We will celebrate Kate’s life on Monday, December 19 at Bibber Memorial Chapel in Kennebunk, ME with calling hours from 10:00 a.m. to noon and a service and reception to follow.
Kate was born in Lee, MA to Christine and Zenas Besly. After graduating from Burncoat High School, she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in early childhood education from Worcester State College and became a teacher. The countless hours she spent crafting lessons, stories and games enriched hundreds of young lives across Central Massachusetts. So few of us wind up in careers we were truly born for.
But nothing meant more to Kate than family. She shared 45 years with her soulmate, Tim, with whom she traveled the world, fixed up fixer-uppers and belly laughed every day. Together they raised Courtney and Jared, who filled her with pride and joy in equal measure. Also digging special places in her heart were pups Baron, Asparagus and Finnegan; in her final days, she joked that her family should think of her every time they spot a black dog. Of course, we will think of her always.
Kate never missed a Patriots game, and her encyclopedic knowledge of Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics rosters spanned decades. She cherished summers spent cheering on Courtney’s Wachusett Wrath softball team, which Tim coached, as well as Jared’s Rising Stars lacrosse team. Having retired with Tim to beautiful Ogunquit in 2019, she began every morning with a walk on the beach. “The way life should be,” indeed.
Predeceased by her parents and favorite uncle Bob Copeland, Kate leaves behind Tim, Courtney and Jared, as well as siblings Robin Johnson, Cindy Fanning and Michael Besly, nine siblings-in-law and fifteen nieces and nephews. Her family will never forget how loved ones rallied behind them throughout her illness with visits, words of encouragement and oh-so-much food. And thanks to Johnna, Keith and Brett, her team of hospice angels, Kate was able to live out her days in her favorite place in the world, surrounded by those she loved most. May we all be so lucky.
We will celebrate Kate’s life on Monday, December 19 at Bibber Memorial Chapel in Kennebunk, ME with calling hours from 10:00 a.m. to noon and a service and reception to follow.