Katherine Dee McGinniss was born on April 12, 1948, in Burlington, Vt.
Named Katherine after her mother, Kitty was the firstborn of a prodigious and incomparable family. Jerry and Sis McGinniss went on to have four other children, James, Matthew, Mary and Bridget.
Kit was a preternaturally pretty baby and held that to her last day — she always looked gorgeous. Her good looks shaped her life in many ways: Kit was notably stylish and funny. These qualities sometimes challenged her, especially when people underestimated her intelligence because of her charms.
After graduating from Rice High School, Kit matriculated at the University of Vermont. She made many lifelong friends during this period.
After graduating from UVM, Kit left Burlington for California. She settled in the Bay Area and pursued an ambitious career in psychotherapy, initially receiving an MA in art therapy and eventually receiving her PhD in clinical psychology from the Wright Institute in Berkeley. She was in private practice for more than 35 years and affected the lives of many patients. Her deep research into arts and mental health was thoughtful, groundbreaking and personal.
Kit had impeccable taste. She loved beautiful clothes, great novels and delicious food. She loved painting in particular and had a fondness for the great women abstract expressionists. She always knew good art when she saw it. She was a voracious reader and always kept up with the news.
After an auto accident that resulted in a life-changing brain injury in the late 1990s, Kit left California and returned to Vermont. She reconnected with her family and friends and continued to see patients, serving her community until 2023.
Kitty is survived by a big, loving family, including her siblings Matthew, Mary and Bridget. She was absolutely delighted by her nieces and nephews, Misa, Owen, Willy Dee, Meara, Molly, Patrick, Eamon and Sean. It’s possible that their partners and children delighted her even more. Kit felt great love for and friendship with her brothers- and sisters-in-law, Bruce McKenzie, Polly McGinniss, Anna Blackmer, Clare Doyle, Kate Bouton and Doug Kerr. Her aunt Janet, a kindred spirit, is saddened by her death. Kit loved animals — her recent time spent with family pups Oakley, Lola and Frankie was particularly joyful.
Kit grieved the death of many friends and family members, including her father, her brother Jim, Maggie and Dave Waterman, Carol Blackmer, Bruce McKenzie, her aunt Beryl, and her beloved mother, Sis.
Our family would like to thank Mary McGinniss and Bridget Kerr for their absolute devotion to Kit in the last year of her life. We would also like to thank Dr. Richard Pinckney, Sharyn Layfield, her book club, her friends, and the staffs of the UVM Medical Center emergency department, St. Joseph’s Home, and the Converse Home.
Dr. Pinckney, remarking on how well Kit was doing a few days before she died, said “It’s incredible what happiness does to the brain.” A clinician to the end, we think Kit would have loved hearing this.
In lieu of flowers, Kit would be honored to have donations made in her name to Burlington City Arts, a testament to her commitment to the arts and its impact on mental health in her hometown.
A celebration of Kit’s life will be held on Saturday, November 2, 2024, 3 p.m., at Ready Funeral Home, 261 Shelburne Rd., Burlington.
Arrangements are in the care of Ready Funeral Services. To send online condolences, please visit readyfuneral.com.
This article appears in Oct 9-15, 2024.