Mary Katherine Porter of Mystic, CT, died on December 4, 2020 at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital at the age of 79 after surviving a lengthy battle with COVID-19 and ultimately succumbing to post-illness complications. She was the daughter of the late Arthur and Julia Kroeger of Menlo Park, CA. A graduate of Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts in French and a Master of Arts in Education, Mary Katherine taught elementary school before she embarked on a busy life as a naval submariner’s wife, making a home and building community in each town where the US Navy took her family.
Mary Katherine’s creativity was a throughline in all of her endeavors, whether writing a weekly column for the Portsmouth Herald newspaper, working as a florist, or making beautiful crafts that she sold at local art guilds. Mary Katherine was the embodiment of pluck. She was engaged in her community, volunteering her time on the board of the Mystic & Noank Library, participating in the Mystic Garden Club, and serving as the marketing chair for the resident council at Masonicare at Mystic, the retirement community where she resided since 2017. She was an entertainer at heart who threw amazing parties, doled out great advice, and told even more incredible stories. Mary Katherine was a voracious reader who made her way through multiple newspapers every day and had a pile of books on her nightstand at all times. She was also a devoted friend who maintained connections with countless people from every duty station and chapter of her life. She looked forward to her weekly coffee group, needlepoint sessions, book club meetings, bridge games, and marathon phone calls with her myriad pals.
Mary Katherine is survived by her son Philip, his wife Katherine, and their children Elizabeth and Graham of Baltimore, MD, as well as her daughter Sarah and her husband Michael of Austin, TX. She was preceded in death by her husband of fifty years John and her son Paul. In light of the pandemic, a memorial gathering will be held virtually. In lieu of flowers, donations in Mary Katherine’s name may be made to the Mystic & Noank Library endowment fund at 40 Library Street, Mystic, CT 06355.
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