Kathleen Sue (Brown) Stewart

Kathleen Sue (Brown) Stewart was born in Pekin, Illinois, on December 1, 1946 and died peacefully January 28, leaving behind a family incredibly proud to be hers. She was the daughter of the late Roy and Gloria Brown of New Jersey as well as the sister of Donald (Missy) Brown and Mark (Barbara) Brown, sister-in-law of Beverly (Stewart) Reilly and daughter-in-law of Barbara (Small) Stewart and the late Lester Leroy Stewart. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts and years later earned her MS degree in technology from Lesley College. She met her forever perfect match Richard Blair Stewart at the University of Massachusetts, and they eloped March 29,1968, a favorite story which is dearly treasured. Kathie was the always supportive and loving mom of Tracy Keenan Poulin and Terri Stewart Kinstle and mother-in-law to Donald Poulin and David Kinstle. She showed her daughters true love every day and inspired them to respect and care for people of all walks of life.

Kathie taught physical education at Easthampton High School and later instructed swimming and technology classes at White Brook Middle School. After 38 years, she retired from teaching in 2006, but continued to give her time and devotion to the community in many ways, always making her family proud. She helped create the Easthampton Lassie League program and spent years coaching the Green Team. She coached the Easthampton Barracudas swim team and regularly refereed high school swim meets. She volunteered teaching CPR at the Red Cross and signed in voters at the local polls for many elections. Currently, Kathie watched over, loved and protected many children and their families in her role as court appointed special advocate. At the same time, as an eldery care ombudsman she spent hours with patients at nearby nursing homes, making sure they were cared for and treated with kindness and respect. Kathie had a warm heart, and she was always helping someone when they needed it most. Every member of her family hopes they make her proud carrying her compassion forward.

Kathie adored her grandchildren Mairead Keenan Poulin (Aviva Doery), Callum Stewart Poulin, Donald Joseph (DJ) Poulin, Molly Brown Kinstle and Andie Stewart Kinstle. Grandma would do anything for any one of them at a moment’s notice from day one of each of their lives. She happily followed them everywhere, taking them as toddlers to swim lessons, and later cheering them on at swim meets, track and cross country meets, water polo games, science fairs, band and chorus concerts, plays, t-ball, karate, softball and soccer games, and freezing cold hockey games and ski races. She picked them up from school, taught them to drive because she was the preferred instructor, took them out to lunch, read their newspaper articles, and took them to all the new movies and Broadway musicals. Kathie’s five grandchildren were wrapped in her love and pride, and they knew they were lucky to have such a special grandmother. We will all miss her forever.

Following Kathies wishes there will be no services. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested in her memory to the Friends of Children. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Kathleen Sue (Brown) Stewart, please visit our floral store.