Kate C. Perry Obituary

Kate Carmody Perry died peacefully on Saturday, January 22, 2022 at the Kaplan House in Danvers, MA, with her parents and her beloved dog Sophie by her side.

She was born on January 31, 1970, to Robert Perry and Grace Schrafft of Gloucester.

At the age of 4 months, Kate was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, an endocrine disorder that affects the lungs and digestion system, for which there is no cure. The average life expectancy was between 2 and 5 years, but she outlived that prognosis by 50 years, thanks to good luck, Drs. Bruce Rosenberg, Harry Schwachman, Alan Osher, Andrew Colin and Ahmet Uluer.

When her parents were told that strenuous exercise would prolong her life, Katy was enrolled in a swim program at age 5 months. She and her mother moved to California when Kate was in first grade, where she played soccer, track and field and coed baseball teams. Katie moved back to her beloved Gloucester in time to play field hockey for Gloucester High, graduating in 1989, and, from Curry College in 1993 with a bachelor's degree in social work. She would run 5 miles a day.

Kate spent her career in public health, serving people with HIV, Hepatitis C, and substance abuse. Among the agencies where she worked was the North Shore AIDS Health Project and CAB Health and Recovery Services.

Kate loved the sun and beach, fishing, traveling the world, Tom Petty, her constant companion Sophie, a Bichon, and wintering in the Florida Keys with her very beloved Nana, the late Cecelia Perry.

She was an optimist, an extrovert and a practicing Catholic. She shined as a friend and confidant and was compassionately involved with everyone she knew, and she knew everyone.

In addition to her parents, Kate is survived by her aunts, Rosemary Ziemba of Auburn, Washington, Melinda Eastman and Susan Sayess of Gloucester; her uncles Fred Schrafft of Chatham and Andrew McRobb of Gloucester; her stepbrothers, Jesse Parsons of San Francisco, Chris and Greg Jaeger, both of Gloucester; stepmother Susan Perry of Gloucester and many cousins throughout the U.S.

Kate was predeceased by her grandparents, M.R. and Cecelia Perry and Geraldine (Schrafft) Ryan and her uncles Patrick Schrafft and James Ziemba.

A graveside service will be held on Kate's birthday, January 31 at 10 a.m. in Calvary Cemetery, Gloucester, followed by a celebration of Kate's life in the Spring. Family and friends are cordially invited. Instead of flowers, contributions would be welcomed by the Kaplan House Hospice, 78 Liberty St, Danvers, MA 01923, or the National Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 4550 Montgomery Ave., Suite 110N, Bethesda, MD 20814.

Arrangements are by the Greely Funeral Home, 212 Washington St. Gloucester, MA.