Katharine Dare Gregory

KATHARINE DARE GREGORY

Kathie Gregory died on Tuesday, August 6, 2019 at Crosslands in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.  She was 80 years old.

Kathie was born on November 20, 1938 and was named Katharine Dare Rayne.  She was the daughter of the late Howard Timothy Rayne and the late Katharine Dare Farquher Rayne and lived all of her life outside Kennett Square, PA, and was the older of two children.  She and her brother, Mac Rayne, had an enchanted childhood, living on a “family farm” where grandparents, parents aunts, uncles, and four cousins, shared their lives together.  There, the six children learned cooperation, responsibility, inclusiveness, and, above all, how to love one another.

Kathie graduated from Washington College in Chesterton, MD where she majored in History and English.  That, too, was an idyllic setting. After college she began, with trepidation, a teaching career.  She really wanted to be a writer or work in publishing, but, at that time, careers open to women were mostly teaching, nursing, or secretarial work.  She hated typing and blood made her squeamish, so teaching it was.  She taught in many schools, some private, some public.  Her last 14 years were in the Unionville School District where Kathie was fortunate enough to be part of an “experimental” team in C. F. Patton Middle School.  There, the six teachers involved instituted wonderful, leading edge, teaching methods and approaches.  This was the highlight of her professional experience. The freedom of being able to experience and adapt was liberating and wonderful.

Kathie was married shortly after college and had three wonderful children, Peter Gray, Lisa McManus and David Gray.  The marriage didn’t last, and the four of them managed together (with much help from family) until Kathie was lucky enough to marry Ed Gregory who also had children from another marriage, Karen Hogan and Lee Gregory.  With good luck, hard work, and a lot of love, Ed and Kathie raised her children and had nearly thirty-eight wonderful years together until Ed died in 2015.

Kathie strongly believed that one should be involved in the community, and served on boards and committees to that end.  She also believed in the overarching importance of family and friendships.  She was truly blessed in this regard. The primary joys of her life were Ed, her children and later her four grandchildren, Rebecca Gray, Gray McManus, Natalie and Caroline Gray. Her friends were her rock and safe place.

Kathie believed that someone is never truly dead as long as he or she is remembered by those left behind.  She would counsel everyone to remember those they have loved, and so keep them alive in memory.  Even better, write down and pass along stories and memories to younger family members and friends so that they, too, can remember.

Memorial donations in Kathie's name can be made to: Penn Medicine Hospice, 795 Marshall Street, West Chester, PA 19348 -or- Kennett Library, www.kennettlibrary.org 

A Memorial Meeting will be at 1:30PM on Sunday, September 15, 2019 at KENNETT FRIENDS MEETING, 125 W. Sickle Street, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.

Burial will be private.

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