Obituary of Grace Marie Kathmann

Grace Marie Kathmann, 75, passed away Friday, November 25, 2016 at Light Hill Hospice in Canandaigua, NY. She was born on July 11, 1941; the daughter of Adaline Goss and Herman Kathmann. In May 1963, Grace was elected as the youngest President of the Oneonta Jayncees. Continuing her social and civic duties, she attended the first Earth Day Celebration in 1970. There after she was an avid recycler and always found a second use for everything. She volunteered to teach adult literacy and would spend her free evenings teaching in the Huntington Library in Oneonta, NY. She was a founding member of the West Kortright Centre, in East Meredith, NY. She will be remembered for her beautiful handcrafted birthday and wedding cakes. She made cakes for so many; including a baseball hall of fame inductee. Throughout her career as a surgical tech, she was employed at AO Fox Hospital in Oneonta, Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, PA, and ended her career as traveler surgical tech; working in hospitals around the United States while enjoying seeing the country until she retired. Grace was a global traveler; she chaperoned the Oneonta German Club trip in 1983. She would later return to Germany and revisit the family of her Father, tracing the steps and visiting the home of her ancestors. In addition, she visited Canada, Mexico, UK, Czech Republic, France, Portugal, Austria, Switzerland and Lichtenstein. She retired to Belleview Florida, where she was an active as a member of the Belleview Art Club and with her church, collecting wedding dresses for women in Haiti. She enjoyed antiques, outdoor activities, and hosting guests who came to visit her homes in PA, FL and NY; hosting both elegant dinner parties in her home to roasting hot dogs in her camping cabin with her grandchildren. Recently Grace moved to Canandaigua, NY and lived in Quail Summit Retirement Community where she met a true gentleman with whom she forged a special bond as her best friend and companion. Grace is survived by her best friend Norbert Soltys, her children; Ursula (Shields) Thompson, Gregory Shields and Christopher Shields, their spouses; Ralph Thompson, Mimi Shields, Jose Varela and her 3 granddaughters and one great granddaughter. She also is survived her three siblings, Betty Neumann, Richard Kathmann, and John Kathmann (his wife Katie) and a very large extended family of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins. Her wise and caring views of the world will live on in her friends and family and isn't that the icing on the cake. Family and Friends are invited to join in a celebration of her life and remembrance on Saturday, December 3, at Fable at Stone & Thistle Farm, 1211 Kelso Road, East Meredith, NY 13757. http://www.stoneandthistlefarm.com/. Remembrance Memorial from 12:30 to 1pm with lunch to follow. Family and Friends are also invited to a celebration of her life and remembrance on Thursday, December 8 from 2pm to 3pm at Quail Summit Retirement Community, 5102 Parrish Street Ext., Canandaigua, NY 14424. Arrangements are under the direction of Hall and Peet Funeral Home, Delhi, NY In lieu of flowers please make a donation in her memory to Light Hill Hospice, 5160 Parrish Street Ext, Canandaigua, NY 14424, http://www.lighthillhome.org or the West Kortright Centre in East Meredith, NY, http://westkc.org.