Mrs. Kathleen Stevens passed away peacefully in her home on April 22 at the age of 83 after a long illness. She was born on Aug. 18, 1940, to the late Stanley Morris, a WWII veteran and boxer, and the late Genevieve Morris, a brilliant shoe factory supervisor, in Brockton, Mass.
Kathleen was a special and beloved mother. She is survived by her daughter, Karen, and son-in-law, Tim Doyle, of Massachusetts; her daughter, Kris Jackson, of Virginia; and her grandson, Nathan, of Massachusetts. She was predeceased by her son-in-law, Joe Pappalardo and her husband, Jack Stevens.
Kathleen grew up in a traditional Polish family in Bridgewater, Mass. in an old-world way in which they grew and collected almost everything they ate. She loved her extended family, especially her cousins, Susan Temple and Martha Thomson.
She married her high school sweetheart, Peter Jackson, an Air Force pilot, and lived around the world. Later, she married Jack Stevens, a judge from Alexandria, and they retired to her dream home on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
A vibrant soul, Kathleen was an imaginative, beautiful, intelligent, and talented woman who danced and taught ballet, played piano, and was a master knitter and master gardener. She could cook anything from French gastronomy to down-home country pig roasts and was offered her own restaurant by more than a few guests at her table.
A fun, witty, and cultured music lover, she could mingle with judges and generals as easily as a humble villager from a far-off land, always more impressed with character than titles. Meeting life’s challenges with a positive attitude, she was deeply compassionate, generous, and kind but could be fearless and fierce when warranted. She was adored by her family, friends, and community, and will be forever missed.
Kathleen could be described by her son-in-law, Joe, as “one of the great women.”
Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Heifer International in her name.
Family and friends may sign the guest book at www.hollandfuneralhome.net
Arrangements are by Holland Funeral Home in Nassawadox.
