Former CCD teacher at St. Theresa’s
Published in the November 9, 2017 edition
READING — Catherine V. (Witham) Birkmaier, 95, of Reading, formerly of North Andover and North Reading, died Saturday, November 4, 2017 at Winchester Hospital. She was the beloved wife of the late William B. Birkmaier.
She was born in Ipswich on December 18, 1921. She was the daughter of the late Zebulon and Annie (Comeau) Witham.
She was a graduate of Reading High School. She worked as a teacher’s aide and substitute teacher for the North Reading school system. Kay’s life was all about love for God, family and friends. Her home was always open to all. Her children and grandchildren were the joys of her life. She enjoyed swimming, walking, gardening, watching the Red Sox and Patriots, playing cards, Scrabble and baking goodies for all. She was a member of St. Michael Church in North Andover and a former member of St. Theresa’s Church in North Reading, where she was a former CCD teacher for many years. Kay also was a Girl Scout Leader in North Reading.
Family members include sons, William Bradford Birkmaier, Jr., USN Retired and his wife Laura, the late Karl Joseph Birkmaier and his late wife Ursula Jezierski, the late Mark Hunter Birkmaier and his wife Kristin Davis; daughters, Lynne Heywood and her husband Ed, and Lori O’Rourke and her husband Jim; sister, Pat Patterson Crosby, late brothers, Fred, Eddie and Charlie Witham; late sisters, Rose Chaput, Polly Baron, Alice Boudreau, Margaret Crosby and Louise Fortunato; grandchildren, William Bradford, Birkmaier, III, Sherry Eva Calderon, Cristina Maria Birkmaier, Kristen Sponring, Dr. Richard Heywood, Jonathan Heywood, Sacha Cote, Matthew Birkmaier, Pamela Boesch, Stephanie O’Rourke, Shannon O’Rourke; great grandchildren, Skyler and Liam Birkmaier, Oliver Butrymowicz, Nicolas and Luca Calderon, Zachary, Joshua and Payton Sponring, Ella, Ned and Madison Heywood, Hunter Heywood, Dylan and Emma Cote, James and Ellinor Boesch.
Her funeral Mass will be held on Monday, November 13, at 10 a.m., at St. Michael Church, 196 Main Street in North Andover. There will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in her memory to: St. Michael Parish, 196 Main St., North Andover, MA 01845, North Reading Citizen’s Scholarship Foundation, or Care Dimensions Hospice, 75 Sylvan St., Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923. Arrangements are by Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading. www.croswellfuneralhome.com.
