Petersburgh – Kathryn G. Knights, owner and resident of an historic farm on Hell Hollow Road in Petersburgh, NY, died on Sunday April 19, 2015. She will be buried in a small cemetery on a hilltop overlooking her 19th century home.
Kate’s life was defined by the things she loved — caring for and protecting her 100 acres of meadows and woods, tending her roses, collecting Victorian children’s story books and children’s art, watching baseball, making websites and being with friends who were true in their love and loyalty. She excelled in any form of visual art —decorating a home for Christmas or creating hand-made, museum quality gift boxes and cards from satin, ribbon and lace. Her innate artistic talent and natural intelligence kept her forever interested in music, especially jazz, literature, fine art, gourmet food and theater (she performed on stage in high school productions that went on the road to places as far afield as Washington DC).
After graduating from Buxton, a private school founded by her grandmother in Williamstown, MA, Kate sought positions in advertising and marketing in New York City and San Francisco. She returned in the late ‘60s to attend Marlboro College in Marlboro, VT. Her early travels took her to England, Scotland, the Caribbean Islands and the Maritime Provinces of Canada.
A good portion of her middle years was dedicated to taking care of elderly or ill relatives — first her grandmother, Ellen Geer Sangster, who also lived on the Hell Hollow property; then David Knights, Kate’s husband who convalesced for many years before his death, and finally she has cared for her mother, Barbara O. Geer, who still resides in Old Bennington.
Over the years, the time spent on her generous caregiving deprived her of opportunities that might have put her on a more challenging career path. Along the way, Kate worked as a server in many taverns and fine dining places in the area — The Man of Kent in Hoosick, The Sedgwick Inn in Berlin, Gideon’s Fine Dining in North Adams. Alldays & Onions, and the Publyk House in Bennington.
Kate, born in Orange, NJ in 1947, lived in Short Hills and Flemington before moving with her family to Vermont in 1960.
She is survived by her longtime partner, Peter McLaughlin, a freelance writer; her mother, Barbara O. Geer of Old Bennington; her sister Mary Ellen Geer and her husband Philip LaFollette of Acton MA; her niece Emily Arkin and her husband Chris Braiotta, of Somerville, MA; her nephew Jonathan Arkin, a jazz musician in Berkeley, CA, and a cherished friend, Ginny Latts of Arlington, MA. She is also survived by the entire McLaughlin family, who loved her from the first day Peter brought her home.
If friends want to make a contribution in Kate’s memory they may donate to either the Petersburgh Rescue Squad or the Petersburgh Public Library through Mahar & Son at 628 Main Street in Bennington.
The funeral service will be private at the convenience of the family.