Katharine “Kay” (Davis) Leimbach, of 23 Smith Court, Noank, died Sunday afternoon at her home after a courageous struggle with cancer. She was 62.
Kay was born in East Orange, NJ on February 26, 1941 the daughter of Edgar W. Davis Jr. and Clara Mae (White) Davis. Raised in Noank, she attended local schools and was a 1958 graduate of Fitch Senior High School. After her graduation, she attended Washington College in Chestertown, MD where she first met her husband, John whom she married at the Noank Baptist Church on September 5, 1959. Together they enjoyed 37 years together before his death in 1996, also at the age of 62.
Kay was employed as an office assistant at Thames Eye Group in Mystic for over 18 years.
In 1997, she "reluctantly" accepted a position as receptionist and office manager of The Dinoto Funeral Home in Mystic, quickly becoming an integral member of the staff and was known for her compassionate and caring nature.
A well-known part of the Noank and Groton Long Point communities, Kay had attended Noank Baptist Church her entire life, serving in the Junior Choir, the church Nursery School, and taught Sunday School for many years. She was also a member of the Noank Historical Society and enjoyed taking part in the society’s annual Sea Fever Fundraiser where she also was known as a “Noank Belle”. She was also a former member of the Mystic Junior Women’s Club.
In her spare time, Kay was an accomplished cook and devoted much of her time to her family. She was particularly pleased to have her daughter and 2 grandchildren share her home with her for the past few years.
Kay is survived by her three children, J. Eric Leimbach and his wife Marilyn of Waterville, ME, Kurt Leimbach of Pawcatuck, and Krista Leimbach Holdgate of Noank; 4 grandchildren, Katharine Holdgate, William Holdgate, Emily and Celia Leimbach; and a sister, Gwendolyn Louise Davis of Mystic. She was predeceased by her brother, E. William Davis Jr. who died in 2002.
A Service of Remembrance and Celebration will be held at The Noank Baptist Church on Friday at 11am. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. A reception will immediately follow in the church undercroft. The family will gather privately for the burial service in the church’s memorial garden.
Donations in Kay’s memory may be made to the Noank Baptist Church Nursery School, 18 Cathedral Heights, Noank CT 06340.
Supplemental Information: As a much loved part of our family here at the funeral home, Kay was instrumental in the construction and design of this website, which has been viewed and used by so many since it's inception in the spring of 2002. Self-described as "computer-illiterate", Kay demanded that this site be consumer friendly, and many of her own ideas are seen throughout this website...for this and her steadfast and untiringhelp in recent years, we thank her.........
Eric, Kurt, Krista and all of us at DFH thank everyone for your calls, thoughts, and prayers during the last few months. A fiercely private "True Lady" that she was, Kay never chose to realize how, both professionally and privately, her calm, friendly manner helped so many during the trials of everyday life.
We will all miss her.....