Katherine V Felty

Katherine Marie Varness Felty, 95, of Plattsburgh NY died peacefully on Tuesday, January 2nd 2024 with family by her side.  Katherine (Katrine) was born in Douglas, Alaska on November 19th, 1928, the third child of Norwegian immigrant parents Aasta Borgen Varness and Ingvald Olaf Varness. Katherine was raised in Juneau, Alaska, in a largely Scandinavian immigrant neighborhood with her older twin siblings, Astrid and Ingvald. Her father Ingvald died when she was three and her mother remarried John Ture Holm. Two more sisters followed, Kay and Alice. When she was thirteen years old the threat of the Pacific Arena of WWII disrupted life in Juneau. Her mother grew concerned about the family’s safety, and she packed up the house and moved herself and the children to Seattle, WA., while Ture was working on a months-long job fishing for tuna in the North Pacific. Aasta, ever the stoic Norwegian, left a terse note on their kitchen table for Katherine’s stepfather,  “We moved to Seattle.  Sell the house.” Katherine thrived in Seattle, making friends, joining clubs, and loved everything about high school.  After she graduated in 1946, she joined her sister, Astrid (Ozzie), in NYC where they worked in office jobs that, for girls from Juneau, were glamorous. She then spent several formative years working at The George Junior Republic, a residential facility for at-risk youth, in Freeville, NY., where her passion for helping others was born. After returning to Seattle, Katherine enrolled at the University of Washington where she met John E. Felty and they were married in 1956.  They had four children, and later moved to Plattsburgh NY in 1966 where John took a position at SUNY Plattsburgh.  Katherine quickly became active in the Plattsburgh community, helping to establish the local branch of the League of Women Voters and later serving as its president. Through her work at the League, Katherine established lifelong friendships with other thoughtful and action-oriented women. She and her family also became early members of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Plattsburgh, again building family friendships that survive today. Kathy’s career focused on serving the North Country. Her positions include serving as the director of the Council of Community Services, where she oversaw the creation of the first handbook for local residents who needed assistance finding social services; as director of the Bruce L. Crary Foundation where she was able to help needy students in the North Country secure college scholarships; and as the director of the Clinton County Office for the Aging, where she continued to help her community by connecting elderly residents with local services.  During her tenure she advocated passionately to continue and expand services at the local and state levels.  Katherine retired from that position in 2001, at the age of 73.  After retirement, Kathy remained involved in the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, the League of Women Voters, and as a Docent at the Rockwell Kent Gallery at SUNY Plattsburgh. Katherine’s explorations of the back roads of the North Country, especially along Lake Champlain, were a continuous source of pleasure and inspiration for her. Her appreciation of the natural beauty around her was lifelong. Katherine was loved by many people, many of whom she considered surrogate children.  She was known for being an excellent listener and compassionate shoulder for those in need.  Her aphorisms will continue to guide friends and family for years to come: “I’ve never regretted doing the generous thing”; “People never change because they’re comfortable” and “When all else fails, have a good meal”; Her expression “to be continued…” was well known as her way of saying goodbye, knowing that a conversation was never truly over. Katherine’s caring nature was felt by others her entire life, including in her final years living with dementia. While much was lost during that time, she continued to express her interest in others with a smile, her characteristic touch on the arm, and the query, “And how are you??” To Katherine, her children and grandchildren were all uniquely special.  She is survived by her daughter, Sarah Kairoff of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and grandchildren Danial and Anna Kairoff; her daughter Britt-Marie McDowell (William), of Plattsburgh, NY, and grandchildren Nina Davis (Scott) and great granddaughter Mae Elizabeth; Samuel and Olivia McDowell; daughter Margret Felty, of Plattsburgh, NY, and grandson Jack Drinkall; and her son John Felty (Hui Ling) of Paris, France, and grandsons Erik, Nicholas (Lauren), and Jackson Felty. Kathy will also be remembered by extended family and friends in the Seattle, WA and Juneau, AK areas, including her niece Susan Traff (Bill), nephews Samuel Traff (Julie), Bob Varness (Beverly) and half-sister, Kay Holm Pope. She was pre-deceased by her sister Ozzie, her brother Ingvald, half-sister Alice, and former husband John. Katherine’s family would like to express their gratitude to the those who provided loving care through the last phase of her life, including Dr. William Pelton, MD, and Dana Gunn, LNP; the staff of the memory care unit at Pine Harbour; and the 6th floor comfort care team at UVM/CVPH. Donations in Katherine’s memory may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Plattsburgh, or Doctors Without Borders and would be welcomed. Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Plattsburgh 4 Palmer Street, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 https://uuplattsburgh.org/donate-today/ Doctors Without Borders https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/ A Celebration of Life will be held in the spring at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Plattsburgh. Date to be announced.