Katherine Ann Kittredge
July 6, 1961 ~ November 1, 2014
Katherine Ann Kittredge, 53, of Cedar Rapids, died Saturday, November 1, 2014, after a battle with cancer. Services will be private.
She is survived by her husband, Derin Sherman; children, Cassandra and Cameron of Cedar Rapids; her father Everett Kittredge of Bradford, New Hampshire; and siblings, Kerry, Karen, and Kimberly.
Kathy received a BS in math and physics from Wellesley College and an MS in math education from University of Massachusetts Boston. She taught math and physics at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids. She is lovingly and respectfully remembered and will be missed by her whole family, as well as many friends, colleagues and students.
As Kathy was a strong supporter of educational, environmental, and social justice causes, contributions honoring her may be made to organizations of your choice or to the Hall-Perrine Cancer Center of Cedar Rapids.
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Katherine was very strong and courageous in her battle with cancer. Katherine was inspirational in the way she approached every day as she tried to keep things normal for her students. Katherine Kittredge was a dedicated and proud teacher and a great example for us all. I am very sorry for your loss.
Mark Wilden
Kennedy High School
Kathy will be greatly missed by all who knew her at Kennedy. She was an inspiration to all as she battled cancer and always kept a positive outlook and focus. She was also an inspiration to her students, who she worked diligently with to ensure they would be successful in her classroom. I am so very sorry for your loss. Thoughts and prayers be with you at this most difficult time.
Angie Fogle – Kennedy High School
Kathy was an excellent teacher. Her work with all student’s was wonderful. Kathy had a passion for teaching and helping those student’s who needed extra help or were less motivated to complete work. She will be greatly missed here at Kennedy!
Kathy left behind a large group of devoted friends in the Boston area. I knew Kathy from her volunteer teaching at MIT, where she was a great advisor and role model for younger women interested in science. We will miss her terribly!
This is something I posted on the Wellesley College, Class of 1983, web page.
For my Wellesley friends, Katherine Ann Kittredge, Class of 1983, passed away on Saturday, November 1st, after a battle with cancer.
Kathy and I lived together at Simpson West. She was one of my dearest friends back many years ago. I was lucky to have spent some time with her this summer at her home in Cedar Rapids, messing around in her garden and taking photos of it so that she could see how it looked to someone else’s eyes.
This photo below is pure Kathy. That’s her garden in the background. She approached her battle with hope and humor, dressing as a different character for each of her weekly chemo treatments. She designed and sewed all of her costumes. While at Wellesley, she made costumes for our theatre productions. Each week, she transformed herself into a something different – a pirate, flapper, Rosie the Riveter, Cleopatra, and here below she is a Hollywood movie star. This particular day, she walked into the nurses’ station, telling them, “Dahling, I’m here. Where are my pillows?”
Kathy was a high school physics teacher in Cedar Rapids. She loved, loved, loved teaching. She adored her children and found a soul mate in her husband, Derin Sherman, a professor of physics at Cornell College in nearby Mount Vernon. My condolences to her husband, Derin and her two beautiful children, Cassandra and Cameron.
– Karim Teresa Rochelle
A long time ago, Kathy was a good friend in a period when I wasn’t very good company. Her interests ranged widely — I met her in the MIT Science Fiction Society, and I wouldn’t have seen _Diva_ or _The Draughtsman’s Contract_ if she hadn’t nudged me. She kept in touch ever since then. Her returns to Boston were always welcome; I will miss them.
My son, (now a sophomore), had the honor of having Mrs. Kittredge last year. He enjoyed her class, as well as her teaching style! This year, my daughter, (a freshman), also had Mrs. Kittredge, but did NOT have the honor of actually meeting her. Both children are saddened by the loss of this woman….prayers for the family and ALL who knew her…….
Share your favorite memory here, or leave a condolence for the family…
Kathy loved–and was loved. Prayers for all who knew this remarkable woman.
My daughter has aspergers and she had Ms. Kittredge for a teacher. I met her and she did whatever it took to make my daughter’s life easier socially. I knew she loved her job and her students. I feel blessed that my daughter had a teacher like Ms. Kittredge. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. From, Cari and Molly Proctor
Kathy was a great teacher and will be missed by all the knew her. She displayed great compassion for her students. She worked hard to reach all that entered her classroom and her work ethic and love for teaching was very infectious. She not only brought out the best in her students but made me reflect on how I could make a change each day by not only what I teach but how I can show that I care for each of my students. My thoughts and prayers go out to all that are grieving from her passing. Tim Johnson- Kennedy High School
We’ll remember Kathy as a relentless supporter of her kids at McKinley Middle School and later at Washington High School. We first met her when Cameron was in Chess Club at McKinley. She would do anything for her kids. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. –Carol and Craig Elliott
I had her as a teacher, I loved her teaching style and how joyful she was in class. She really focused on giving you homework so you could understand what is going on, and how to do it. She was one of my favorite teachers, she helped me out when I needed glasses and couldn’t see the board. I will truly an amazing teacher! Although she lost the battle of Cancer she will always be in our memories. I’ll be praying for her family. I’ll miss her.
Sincerely,
Dana Van Hyfte (Class 2017)
I had Mrs. Kittredge for science last year. She was a very kind woman that truly dedicated herself to making sure every student could be as successful as possible. I appreciated her positive attitude in class and I learned a lot from her. -Natalie Averkamp, Kennedy sophomore
Memories are a wonderful thing. Keep them close in your hearts and know that we are always there with a prayer in our hearts for each of you left behind.
Lots of Love to each of you, Gini Hicks Mitchell
While catching up on yesterday’s paper, I was saddened to see a familiar face on the obituary page. I knew right away this was someone I went to high school with. She looked exactly the same. Although we were more acquaintances than friends, I remember Kathy being kind-hearted and a happy person. Reading the condolences below, she hadn’t changed, except to let those good qualities encompass many more around her, especially by becoming a teacher. It sounds like she was fair, compassionate and caring and a true role model for her students. Of that you can be proud. Although it makes one think of their own life situation when hearing of the passing of a fellow classmate, I work in a hospital and, unfortunately, see the consequences of illnesses such as cancer on a daily basis. It’s always a wonder to me, though, when meeting these patients because they are often, like Kathy, facing their sickness head on, not complaining and, as a friend said below, adding humor when possible. You realize what matters in life and the little things aren’t as irksome.
I wish all of you who were close to Kathy the strength you need to get through this difficult time, but please keep sharing the wonderful things about her because those memories will aid in your grief. Perhaps they’ll even make you laugh at times, and that will be good. She would want it that way.
-Jeanne Barrett, KRHS, NH
Kathy Kittredge