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Kathryn Rice Dreher
May 27, 2021

Obituary

Tribute to Kathryn Rice Dreher

Born a Georgia farm girl in 1921 with a constant streak for adventure, Kathryn Rice Dreher was the fourth of five children. Her gentle-humored father, John Major Rice, was close to the land as a tenant farmer. Her no-nonsense mother, Katie Mae Huff Rice, was a wonderful gardener and won trophies for fishing.
Known by most adult friends as “Kay”, she was incredibly athletic, had an extremely bright intellect, demonstrated great love to her friends, flashed a brilliant smile with twinkling eyes and a wink, and felt ongoing dedication to progressive Christianity. She lived most recently at Avalon in the Stoneridge Retirement Community of Mystic Connecticut.
Having been the valedictorian of her high school class, Kay was named Miss Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College of Georgia while attending, then graduated with honors from the University of Georgia with a degree in Home Economics. While at UGA, Kay won a jitterbug contest and was a celebrated Bulldogs cheerleader. She earned a pilot license through a civilian program for backup pilots in WWII and subsidized some of her education expenses by stunt flying on weekends at county fairs. She continued on to Oregon State University. From there she won a Fulbright scholarship and earned her Divinity Degree at Union Theological Seminary, in New York City. She paid the rest of her way through seminary as a nanny for theologian Rheinhold Niebuhr family.
While at Union, Kay met her future husband, George Kelsey Dreher, through common friends and while on a blind date going to a traditional rivalry Yale-Harvard football game—George was at Yale Divinity School at the time. Their common passion for ministry was one of their bonds. Following George’s ordination, they married in July 1947 in the beautiful James Memorial Chapel at Union Theological Seminary.
From their start in New York and Connecticut respectively, through the late ‘40s and ‘50s, they set up homes and churches together in Idaho, Utah, California, Kansas, and eventually in 1964 on to Mystic to serve the long-established Mystic Congregational Church, United Church of Christ (MCC). Kay continued to be a formidable pioneer of racial and gender equity post-WWII, throughout the Civil Rights era, and on into the new millennium, a peace monger throughout the Viet Nam war and beyond, an advocate for ecology and environmental protection, and a dedicated champion of global ministry.
Kay became a member of PEO, a philanthropic education organization providing opportunities for women, in the early ‘50s in Utah and continued joining chapters as the family moved to each state.
Together Kay and George raised six children, and Kay lived to enjoy 12 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. While finishing raising their kids, and beyond, she worked professionally for 20 years at the Groton Mary Morrison Elementary School teaching kindergarten and then as a remedial reading teacher. She was an active member of both Connecticut and National Education Associations.
Kay was an active member of the Mystic Congregational Church and was occasionally asked to preach as a guest in the pulpit on Sundays when George was invited to preach at other churches. She was never afraid to share and speak her mind. Her sermons were often fiery in Mystic as her Southern drawl tended to revisit her messages. She participated in the church’s Women’s Fellowship and various State Level United Church of Christ committees. She also performed Chaplain duties and taught religious education classes at York Women’s Prison.
Kay volunteered for countless causes and charitable events, supported the local Mystic food co-op, walked door-to-door to talk with local townspeople during political campaigns, and avidly read Daily Devotions, the New York Times, as well as Christian Science Monitor and The Progressive magazines.
Kay cherished family and extended the notion of family well beyond blood relatives. Inviting guests regularly for supper, the Dreher dining room table was a central gathering place for extended hours of discussion, singing, laughter, and board games. All were welcome. In the Dreher home, it wasn’t unusual to step over people in sleeping bags who needed a place to stay in Mystic for a night or two. For decades, visitors from across the state, the country, and the globe stayed with the Dreher family and enjoyed Kay’s Southern hospitality and delicious down-home cooking.
Kay took walks, waving to neighbors and friends, almost every night after dinner while she was able. In those years she consumed coffee all day and evening until 10 pm and still slept through the night. Kay kicked cancers three different times through her life and, at 99, survived the Covid-19 virus’ early symptoms. She was loved by many, she loved many, and she left a lasting impression on many, many more.
Kay passed quietly and peacefully in the wee hours lit by the beautiful full moon, 27 May 2021.
Kay’s six children survive her: Brenda Dreher Worth, George Rice Dreher, Timothy James Dreher, Elizabeth Dreher Webb, Marty Kelsey Dreher, and Andrew Kenan Dreher. Their children and their children’s children join in honoring and celebrating Kay’s colorful and estimable life.
A service in celebration of her life will be held at the Mystic Congregational Church on June 9, 2021 at 1:00 pm. Please note that seating in the church is limited and registration is required. Anyone desiring to attend in person must register with the Mystic Congregational Church by calling the Church Office at 860.536.4259.. The memorial service will be live streamed and can be attended by the public through this link: : YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxuxM2pZ7cmHjLHhFlAutSw . In lieu of flowers the family invites you to join them in supporting a cause dear to Kay by contributing to: United Church of Christ, Financial Services, 700 Prospect Ave, 6th Floor, Cleveland, OH 44115 (Designate Justice & Witness Ministries on memo of the check) or telephone 800.846.6822 or online via https://www.ucc.org/giving/donate-now/general-donation/ or donate to the Mystic Congregational Church.
To share a message of condolence or remembrance with her family, please click the link below.

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Dinoto Funeral Home
17 Pearl Street
Mystic, CT 06355
860-536-2685