Kathryn Brown Ellison died peacefully on Thursday, August 11, one month shy of her 75th birthday, with her daughters at her side. Kathy was born on September 11, 1947, in Gaffney, S.C. to Charles Milton and Helen Brown. She married Alan Richard Ellison on June 11th,1967, who preceded her in death, and together they raised three daughters.
Kathy had a quiet presence, and her quick and sharp wit would catch you off guard. She had a penchant for words; her economical use of them caused you to lean in to fully absorb them.
Kathy loved music and musicals. If you listened closely you could hear her singing along. Whether it was Purple People Eater, The Music Man's Ya Got Trouble, or a McDonald's jingle (two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles onions on a sesame seed bun) she got in every word.
Kathy was always ready to drive, anywhere, for anyone. Whether it was a daily drive to the other side of town for dance classes, in the middle of the night to collect a particular child from summer camp in another state, or across the country on a whim, her keys were in hand before you had your shoes on.
Before Alan's death in 2009, Kathy and Alan liked to camp and hike in the mountains, especially around Maggie Valley. Their tent nearly floating away when a hurricane changed course, hiking with a bear: these are just a few of the stories that brought continued laughter over the years.
After Alan's death, an annual Mother's Day trip became a special tradition for Kathy and her daughters. These quiet trips to the mountains or coast were always full of good food, laughter, and love.
In Kathy's last years, struggling with dementia, she allowed herself to be cared for by her daughters, reluctantly giving up her home of 40 years to move into assisted living. After trying several homes that weren't the right fit, Kathy spent her last year at Avendelle Assisted Living in Cary. The Avendelle staff treated Kathy (and her daughters) as family, referring to her lovingly as Cat, or Kit Kat. They allowed Kathy a safe, loving, and dignified life and death.
Kathy leaves behind three daughters and their families: Julie Ellison Greenwood, husband Scott Greenwood and daughter Nora Yechou; Denise Ellison Cerniglia, partner Deborah Rosenella, and children Alan Maxwell Goodman and Cameron Cerniglia; and Lisa Ellison, husband John Collins and children Helen and Emma Wilbourne; and her brother Thomas Brown, wife Delores Brown.
Donations to the Dementia Alliance of North Carolina in memory of Kathy are greatly appreciated.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.BrownWynneCary.com for the Ellison family.
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