Staatsburg, NY

Katherine J. Dowley, passed away on October 27, 2024, in Poughkeepsie NY, following a sudden illness. Born on May 25, 1939, in Corinth NY, to Lawrence and Evelyn Brannon of Lake Luzerne. Kathy's seemingly boundless energy served many that knew her throughout her 85 years of life.

Kathy's early years were spent in the town of Lake Luzerne NY, where she excelled in a wide range of high school activities including class treasurer, winter carnival queen, yearbook staff and student court. Her musical talents included dance band, concert master and operetta. Outside of high school she was a member and leader of a local 4H club, her mastery at sewing earning a trip to Syracuse to participate in the New York State Fair dress review – a special lifelong memory to her. Her pursuit of knowledge led her to Plattsburgh State Teachers College to study home economics.

Her extended family included relatives that had turned the Lake George region into a dude ranch destination, where she applied a solid work ethic filling many roles at the Painted Pony and Hidden Valley ranches. When she moved to start a family in Staatsburg NY, she brought with her the talents and values to help build and strengthen the growing small community.

Kathy was a master of many crafts, with a particular talent for sewing, spinning, and weaving. Her skills in these areas were only matched by her enthusiasm for sharing them with others, often through judging 4 H sewing projects and spinning demonstrations at the Dutchess County Fair Wool Workshop. Also an accomplished seamstress, Kathy could fashion anything from competition ball gowns to camping gear for friends and family. She volunteered and labored for decades alongside her husband supporting the Boy Scouts, impacting thousands of Dutchess County youth.

In the 1980's, her entrepreneurial spirit led her to become the proud small business owner of Village Products, an import business supplying New Zealand made spinning wheels throughout the NY/NJ region. Later in life, Kathy had a brief career at IBM, followed by 13 years of dedication to the Boy Scouts of America as an administrative assistant.

An adventurous soul, Kathy embraced the beauty of the world through RV travel, exploring the country's vast landscapes with the same zeal she applied to every aspect of her life. She found joy in country line dancing and was often found tapping her feet to the rhythms of bluegrass music, a testament to her love for life's varied melodies.

Kathy's husband, Peter, with whom she shared 60 years of marriage, sadly predeceased her in July 2024. She is survived by her sister Elizabeth Mason of New York, daughter Kathleen (David) Titley of Pennsylvania, sons Kevin (Raquel) Dowley of Indiana, Jeffrey Dowley of Staatsburg, two grandchildren, Matthew Dowley of California, and Rachel (Jason) Alexander of Massachusetts and many loved nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends may call from 1pm to 4pm on Sunday, November 10, 2024, at Sweet is Funeral Home, Rte. 9, Hyde Park, NY.