Catherine E. Foley Kennedy, a virtuous, kind and hardworking mother, coworker and wife, died on September 28, 2021. She left her body after nine days in the intensive care unit following a cardiac arrest that occurred on Sept, 19. She was 52 years old.
Born and raised in Melrose, MA, Cathy was the daughter of James and Joyce Foley. She attended St. Mary’s in Melrose and was a 1987 graduate and Class Valedictorian of Girls Catholic High School in Malden, MA. She graduated in 1991 with a B.A. in English from Boston College, and received her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School in 1993.
Working in Washington, D.C. after law school, she met James Kennedy in 1997 and they were married in 2002. They lived in Byfield, MA and had three children: Elaine (2003), Alex (2005), and Tommy (2007).
An attorney in the mutual fund industry, Cathy was persistent and thoughtful in her work, with an uncanny ability to develop a full, clear picture of the problem at hand. Most importantly, Cathy loved the friendships that she developed over the last 23 years working in Boston. First with Evergreen Investments and now, after several corporate changes with Wells Fargo Financial. She began her law career in Washington at Sullivan and Worcester, LLP.
In her adult years, Cathy discovered Waldorf education and the philosophies of Rudolph Steiner, first for her children and then for herself as she grew and participated in the wider community. In Waldorf education she found a commitment to others -- to the sanctity of each individual -- that was as deep as her own. She became a leader in the community, serving as board chair for three of her six years on the Waldorf School at Moraine Farm Board of Trustees. Cathy also worked tirelessly behind the scenes to support her husband's efforts in the classroom, and was the producer and director of all of the best puppet stories and other material that he brought to young children.
Cathy loved holidays and family traditions, giving her children and those around them one of a kind, homegrown experiences through the years, always focused on their positive experience no matter the work involved. This gift that she gave her family continued through the years. Christmas was a special time of year, but so was Halloween, and Cathy was laying plans this year to bring baked treats to her favorite "scary" houses. Her caring was similarly extended to the birds and other creatures she admired and enjoyed among the bird feeders and bird bath outside of her kitchen window. Cathy loved animals and was always thankful for the relationships she had with Spooky, Stormy, Ruthie and Winfield, Penny, Cindy, Earl and many other animals in her life.
Cathy loved to dance. This grew out of her and her mother’s shared passion for music and musical theater. She began dance as a frail, seemingly shy child, but persisted to become one of the strongest dancers among her peers. Dance and music grounded Cathy, keeping her close to what she knew was good and important in the world.
In recent years, Cathy has been a strong supporter of the Ipswich House of Peace in Ipswich, MA. She also, along with her daughter Elaine, has been volunteering at Project Citizenship of Boston, a nonprofit agency that provides legal services to permanent residents to help them become U.S citizens.
She is survived by her husband, James and three children, Elaine, Alexandria, and Thomas, of Byfield, MA and by her siblings: Michael Elgart of Wakefield, MA; Sandy Swain and her husband David of Alton, NH, and their children Tracy, Josh, Justin and Jacob; Scott Elgart and his wife Marie of Melrose, MA, and their children Diane, Julie and David; Lisa Wilder and her husband Gregg of Stratford, NH, and their children Linsay and Nate; Jim Foley and his wife Kathryn of Hopedale, MA, and their children Stephen, Michael and Morgan; Matt Foley and his partner Pam Maquire of Everett, MA, and Matt’s son Matty. She also leaves her beloved dog, Cindy, and her hard-to-understand cat, Earl Grey.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 10 at Project Adventure, located on the grounds of Moraine Farm at 701 Cabot St., Beverly, with a reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to The House of Peace, 1 High St., in Ipswich, MA. The mission of the House of Peace is to provide physical and spiritual shelter to victims of war in a small healing community in companionship with adults with special needs, and to provide education for peace and moral awakening.