Mary Katharine Thompson

This is a heartfelt obituary as written by Kathy's daughter, Missy....

If you have ever laughed at one of my jokes, you technically owe my mom, Kathy Thompson, some applause. She passed away on March 9, 2026, and she is currently in heaven proudly telling everyone my sense of humor came from her. She is not wrong. Much of who I am comes from her, though she was a much better dresser.

Mary Katharine Thompson, born on October 29, 1946, was always annoyed by the spelling of her name; she found the second “a” entirely irritating. She was Kathy to most, Mom to me (Missy Hall), and “Grummy” to her granddaughter, Carly Waldroop. Her life was a patchwork quilt of experiences sewn together over her years here on earth—some squares bright and beautiful, others grey and tattered. While her death was sudden, her body had been at odds with her for quite some time. I am relieved she is no longer dealing with pain, and I’m sure she’s relieved to be free of my constant prompts to eat kale.

She was a giver of sage (and practical) advice, including these gems I hold in my heart:

“Don’t save anything for a special occasion. Use it now!!”

“Don’t put anything in writing you don’t want the world to see.”

“Never shave your legs before a first date. You don’t want to be tempted.”

Her generosity was unmatched; if she had money, you had presents, no matter how much you insisted she should really stop shopping. But shopping was her favorite sport, and I daresay she’s already scouring the clearance aisles of a heavenly Home Goods and TJ Maxx.

In her later years, her love of cats reached an all-time high, as did the number of them in her home. If cats could form a gospel choir, there would be one standing in her honor today, sending a soul-stirring chorus to the heavens for the woman who kept them so well-fed.

All my mom wanted was to be loved, and to feel like she mattered.

Kathy Thompson was here from October 29, 1946, to March 9, 2026. She was the original act, she was deeply loved, and she mattered.

In honor of Kathy: The family asks that you don't save your "good" candles for a special occasion—light them tonight. Please consider a donation to your local cat shelter, or simply buy something sparkly at TJ Maxx that you don’t strictly need. She would have wanted that for you.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Thomas E. Melvin & Son Funeral Home Inc, Harrington, DE.