Katherine (Kathy) Marie Benner, 60, of Waldoboro, passed away on Aug. 29, 2021, at the home of her sister, Dolly Griesenbrock, after a long battle with pancreatic cancer with the loving care of her two sisters, Teresa and Dolly, at her side constantly.
Kathy was born in Rockland on July 1, 1961 to Robert A. Benner of Waldoboro.
She graduated in 1979 from Medomak Valley High School in Waldoboro and then graduated from Casco Bay College in Portland with honors, receiving an associate’s degree in accounting. She worked for Abbotoni’s in Damariscotta, O’Hara Corporation in Rockland, Maritime Farms in Waldoboro and Camp Kieve in Nobleboro. As a teenager, she worked summers in the local blueberry fields. She also worked packing sardines and saved her money for college.
Kathy loved animals, specifically her dog, Buddy. Over the years, she willingly opened her home to young friends who needed a place to stay. She loved sports and closely followed the Boston Celtics and New England Patriots. Kathy particularly loved telling stories, sharing life experiences and meeting weekly with a craft group. She thoroughly enjoyed weekend yard sales and also enjoyed a good deal. She was a member and volunteer of the Waldoborough Historical Society and Friends of the Waldoboro Public Library.
During a week in June, Kathy and her dad took a daughter and dad train adventure to Blackshear, Ga. to visit a special cousin, Linda Bombard, and family. They wore their special sweaters Dolly had made for them with an emblem, “Time spent with family is worth every second.” It brought a lot of smiles along the way. Many wonderful adventures and prayers. This was Kathy, a family person first and above all else. We will all keep this in our hearts until we meet again.
The best things in life are the people we love, the places we’ve been and the memories we’ve made along the way.
Kathy planned and had her own life celebration on July 18 where about 40 people attended and what an enjoyable celebration it was.
Kathy was preceded in death by her brother, Morgan Benner; her brother-in-law, Wade Bailey; her nephew, John Emerson Jr.; her uncle and aunt, Lawrence and Sylvia Buck; and her aunts, Gladys Benner and Anita Benner.
She is survived by her son, Evan Benner, of Waldoboro; her father, Robert Benner, of Waldoboro; her sisters, Teresa Bailey and Darlene (Dolly) and husband, Jan Griesenbrock, of Waldoboro; her uncle, Otis Benner of Bangor; her aunt and uncle, Eleanor and Carroll Martin, of Searsport; her uncle, Ronald Benner, of Union; her niece, Katie, and husband William Hayes, of Owls Head; her nephew, Aaron Murray, of Damariscotta, her nephew, Ian, and his wife, Hannah Murray, and their children, Addie and Harley, of Waldoboro; her nephew, Trapper John Mills/Emerson and his mother, Alisha, of Cushing; and many cousins and special friends.
Kathy will be interred in the Benner Family Cemetery at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 10.
