Catherine "Kitty" Douglass

Kitty Douglass, retired Controller Catherine “Kitty” Douglass (nee Scheper), a longtime resident of Woodlawn, moved several years ago to the house her father built in Reisterstown. She passed away on September 24, 2023, under the loving care of Joe, her husband and best friend of 66 years. She was 85. Kitty was born at home at N. Ellwood Avenue in East Baltimore, grew up in Randallstown, Baltimore County, and had a Catholic education that her three Sisters of Mercy aunts made sure of. All Saints School (Gwyn Oak), Little Flower School (Granite), Seton High School (Baltimore), and Mount St. Agnes High School (Mount Washington), graduating in 1956. She married her love of her life, her high school sweetheart Joe in 1957. You would never find Kitty without a book in her hand. She would often miss her morning school bus because she would be sitting on the bench busy reading. This love of books followed her throughout her life. Education was always important to her. In 1989 she earned an Associate in Arts degree from Catonsville Community College and in 1993 she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree (Magna Cum Laude) in Business Administration from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland at age 55! She achieved this while raising her three children, having a career, running CCD programs at Church, President of PTAs, and so much more. She taught Women’s History classes at a local college and dreamed of going back to school to get a degree in Women Studies. She substitute taught in Baltimore County for almost a decade. Then in 1980 she started working part time at the General German Aged Peoples Home of Baltimore off Athol Avenue in Baltimore City as an activities coordinator/bookkeeper. She quickly moved up to Accounting Manager and was ultimately promoted to Controller. She helped with the purchase, design, and transition from “the German home” to a multimillion dollar retirement facility in Towson named Edenwald. She was the first woman to sit on their finance committee. Due to health issues, she retired in 1999. Even after she retired, she would continue to do talks about the history of the German home to residents of Edenwald. She was an amazing wife, mother, sister, friend, aunt, cousin, and grandmother who was always there whenever we needed her. We depended on her impeccable memory of family information, dates, events, etc. She was a wonderful cook and seamstress. She made clothes for her children, herself, and many Barbie dolls! Kitty was very sentimental and loved all her family members dearly, especially her grandchildren. Her empathy was deep and she constantly worried about other people. If she saw someone on the street in need, she would give a few dollars knowing that the person probably had a worried family somewhere. She was a member of the League of Women Voters and wrote reports for their newsletter. She was president of her Community Association. In addition, she volunteered her time at Carroll County Food Sunday food bank in Westminster. And not surprising, joined the Board of Directors to help with management and implementing a new computer system. She was predeceased by her parents Clements and Catherine Scheper and her dearest childhood and lifelong friends Louise Klein Adams and Sally Hathaway Boerschel. She was the beloved wife of Joseph Douglass, devoted mother of Brian Douglass, John Douglass, Amy and Steve Grutzik, and Robin Swartz; loving sister of Mary Murdy, Maureen Fox, Patrick Scheper, and the late Clement Scheper. She is also survived by her cherished grandchildren Jonathan, Laura, Sarah, Stephanie, Lori, Wade, Audrey, and Holly and many great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends from 2 to 5pm on Sunday, October 1, 2023, at Haight Funeral Home & Chapel, 6416 Sykesville Road, Sykesville, MD. A catholic prayer service will be held at 10am on Monday, October 2, 2023 at the funeral home followed by interment in Holy Family Church Cemetery, Randallstown. Those desiring to make donations in lieu of flowers may contribute to Carroll County Food Sunday at https://ccfoodsunday.org/donate/ Online condolences may be offered at www.haightfuneralhome.com

Catherine "Kitty" Douglass

March 31, 1938 - September 24, 2023