BANGOR – Catharine K. Lebowitz passed away April 26, 2010. She was born June 30, 1915, in Winchester, Mass. She moved to Searsport in the summer of 1920. Kay attended the Mount Ephraim one-room school. She graduated in 1931 from William G. Crosby High, Belfast, at age 15. The Depression made jobs difficult to find, but in 1933, she started work at ERA, which became WPA – Works Progress Administration. She worked in Belfast, Augusta and Presque Isle with a final transfer to the regional office in Portland. At the beginning of World War II, she started at Navy Supply Pier as executive secretary and personnel officer, which closed its doors of operation in 1945. Kay then moved to Boston, as executive chief personnel officer with the regional office of Moore Business Forum until 1953, when she returned to Maine because of her mother’s illness. She was employed by Coffin and Wimple in the same capacity until 1962, at which time she started in the U.S. Federal District Court as officer in charge of the northern division, from where she retired in 1979. In 1971, she married Murray Lebowitz, who predeceased her in 1978. After retirement she worked part-time for G.M. Pollock and as an abstractor for a Portland firm until 1982. In that same year, she was elected to Bangor City Council to fill a vacant seat. She ran for Maine State Legislature in 1982, serving five terms, which she set as her limit, in 1993. From then on she was able to donate more time to volunteer service. She served as a board member for several organizations, including Bangor Zonta Club and Bangor Community Theater Board. Kay was a Maine Troop Greeter and loved being able to be there to see all of the service people. She volunteered tirelessly for many organizations, including Bangor Chamber of Commerce, United Way Legislative Committee, School Task Force on Drugs and Alcohol Abuse and Community Relations, Penobscot County Juvenile Justice Committee, RSVP Advisory Board, Bangor City Hospital Auxiliary, St. Joseph Hospital Planning Board, Eastern Transportation Board, Bangor District Nursing Association Corporate Member at Large, Community Health & Counseling Aftercare Advisory Board, Making the Grade, National Collaboration for Youth Central Maine Unit, State Steering Committee on Child Care, Maine Development Foundation, Bangor Symphony Women, Republican Women’s Club, Penobscot Theatre Board, Bangor Opera House Board, Patrons of Fine Arts, Maine Migrant Program Board, Center on Aging, Maine Center for the Arts, Bangor Museum, Center for History, and others. Kay was an honorary member of Maine National Guard and Air National Guard. She is listed in Who’s Who in Government and Who’s Who in American Women. She was always happiest when she was busy helping people in any way she could. Kay had a great love for animals, particularly horses. She owned two riding horses as a young girl, her first on her 12th birthday as a gift from her parents. She was predeceased by her husband; and brother, William J. Koch, in 2004. Surviving are sister-in-law, Ada Koch; nephew, John Koch and his wife, Pam; niece, Sue Greever and her husband, Chuck; nephew, Arthur Koch and his wife, Silvia; niece, Mary Ginn; several great-nieces, great-nephews, great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews. Relatives and friends are invited to call 5-7 p.m. Thursday, April 29, at Brookings-Smith, 133 Center St., Bangor, where funeral services will be held 1 p.m. Friday, April 30, with the Rev. Robert T. Carlson officiating. Those wishing to remember Kay in a special way may contribute in her memory to Penobscot Community Health Care, Chaplains Fund, 103 Main Ave., Bangor, ME 04401; Hospice of St. Joseph, attention Nicole Heanssler, P.O. Box 1638, Bangor, ME 04402-1638; or Bangor Humane Society, 693 Mount Hope Ave., Bangor, ME 04401. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com.
CATHARINE K. LEBOWITZ
