Kathleen D. McWilliams

McWilliams, Kathleen D. passed away on Monday, December 21, 2020. Born in East Orange, NJ on August 3rd, 1934. Kathleen grew up in Glen Ridge, NJ, and moved to Princeton, NJ in 1944. She graduated from Princeton High School, earned a BA in Interior Design from Syracuse University, and years later earned a BA from Florida State University in Regional and Urban Planning.

After returning to Princeton, she met Ralph, the love of her life and the two were married on May 23rd, 1959. After the wedding, the couple moved to Tallahassee, FL, for Ralph’s job as a mathematics professor at FSU.

In 1962 the couple welcomed Linda to the family and two years later Martha joined the family. Kathy started her volunteer work surrounding her children, first at the First Baptist Church nursery. But Kathy’s passion was scouting. She was the leader of her girls’ troops from Brownies through Cadets. She continued after her girls were grown with a new group of girls. When the girls had boys, Kathy volunteered at their elementary schools and when no one else stepped up, she became the Den Leader for two of her grandson’s Cub Scouts.

Kathy was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph D. McWilliams. She is survived by her daughters, Linda (Dan) McWilliams and Martha (Sam MacDonell) McWilliams; brother, Kenneth (Margie) Dodge; grandchildren, Kyle (Liza) and Trevor Rogers, Jonathan Mortensen, Trey, Kenneth, Suzanne, and Melissa MacDonell, Kaitlyn, and Chase, 3 great-grandsons and a nephew Donald (Lorraine) Dodge.

A memorial service will be held at East Hill Baptist Church at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made payable to Tallahassee Fellowship, 6734 Layton Ct., Tallahassee, FL 32317, Big Bend Hospice, or any environmental organization.