Mary Kathryn (Stewart) George, 103, of Brush Valley, passed away peacefully on Thursday, May 28, 2020 at the Communities of Indian Haven.
The daughter of Joshua Harrison and Lucinda Blanche (Tomb) Stewart, she was born on July 3, 1916 in Dilltown, PA.
A resident of Brush Valley Township for many years. She had also resided in West Newton for 25 years.
She was a member of the Dilltown Memorial Baptist Church and a former member of the Brush Valley Grange.
Grandma Kate was an amazingly wise, sassy, proud and independent woman. She lived her life for her family and loved all unconditionally. Family gatherings were hectic but she loved hearing “you started all of this!” Gram push mowed her grass and hand weeded her yard into her 90s. Gram’s green thumb could revive all the dead plants we brought to her, but nothing made her smile like Brown-Eyed Susans. Gram spoiled us with homemade Chex Mix, Boston cream pie, pink candies, dumplings, gravy, spaghetti and her famous chocolate chip cookies that the great-grandkids have been trying to replicate to no avail. For the kids who lived on the farm, she watched them get off the bus everyday to make sure they crossed the road safely then welcomed them home with milk, two cookies, and two pink lozenges. Gram could take our beat-up work jeans and patch them so you couldn’t tell they’d ever been ripped and she continued to sew her own clothes until late in life. Gram kept a spotless house but never minded when we brought in our pets, random animals, and strays for a visit. Even at 103, Gram remembered details about each of her kids and would ask for updates every time they visited. Everything Gram did turned out perfect, new, refreshed, and delicious – we’ve all tried to recreate her work but we think that after 103 years she just had an extra touch of love for the family that made everything a little more special. Her shoes will be impossible to fill and those she left behind can only hope to become half the person that she was!
Surviving are her three children – Lucinda Kathryn (Paul) Isenberg of Brush Valley; Donald Lee (Connie) George of Sandy, Utah; and Larry (Chris) George of Pittsburgh. She is also survived by 17 grandchildren, 40 great grandchildren and 14 great great grandchildren. This includes the following local grandchildren – Keith (Donna) Isenberg, Renea Isenberg, Bret (Alisa) Isenberg, Melissa (Jay) Crowley, Stephanie (Steve Shoaf) George and local great grandchildren – Israel (Cassandra) Isenberg, Noelle (Craig) Andrie, Nathan (Carrie) Smith, Brianna (Steve) Bond, Kelsey (Jim Foley) Isenberg, and Jesse (Shyloh Walls) Isenberg.
Also surviving are her sister, Anna Mae Davis, of Indiana and sister-in-law, Miriam Stewart, of Brush Valley. A nd her two “adopted” grandchildren – Gage Michael Adinolfi and Kami Marshall.
Kathryn was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Halcy W. George on April 30, 1997, brothers – Wayne (Alma), Melvin, Raymond (Betty), Charles (Lila Rae), Clarence (Roene), sisters – Estella (Harry) Sharp, Elda (Frank) Findley, and Ora Louise Stewart, and brother-in-law, Eugene Davis.
The family wishes to thank the staff at Communities at Indian Haven for being Gram’s second family the past year and a half and loving her as family does!
Due to the current pandemic, a private service will be held on Monday, June 1st at the gravesite. Bowser-Minich Funeral Home, Indiana, is handling the arrangements with the Rev. Joseph Smith officiating.
